A Code Geass Christmas Carol
by Elite Warrior
Summary: The classic work of Charles Dickens told with the characters of Code Geass. When the cold 'Demon money-lender' Lelouch is visited by a series of specters, they take him on a whirlwind journey through time and show him the joys of the holiday he despises. Will this be enough to melt his stony heart, or will he brush it off and seal his fate? (You probably know the answer) :)
1. Intro and Disclaimers

A Code Geass Christmas Carol

Intro and Disclaimers

Hey Guys! :)

This is Elite Warrior and I am now writing my first Code Geass Fanfic. I was watching The Muppet Christmas Carol a few days ago and I got this crazy idea to try and adapt the story to the Code Geass universe! So please stay tuned for the chapters-yet-to-come.

**Disclaimer one**: I do not own 'A Christmas Carol'. If I did then I would be Charles Dickens and you would be reading what a hundred-something year old ghost is typing on a twenty-first century computer! I can assure you that I am not the ghost of Charles Dickens...Or am I?!

**Disclaimer two**: The following is a non-profit, fan-based parody made solely for entertainment purposes.

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R1 and R2 and all rights to them belong to Bandai, Sunrise, Goro Tanguchi and Ichirou Okuno. Please support the official release.

Ten points if you can guess which abridger I'm referencing! **Smack!** Ow!**  
**

Updates when possible. Merry Christmas every one! :)

I would like to dedicate this story to 'Demons Anarchy of Pride' and HUGELY recommend his story 'Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R-eset' to anyone who is a Code Geass fan. I want to wish him and his family a VERY merry Christmas and a superbly happy new year! :)


	2. Ch 1: Christmas Eve Business

**I'll try to balance out the elements of two stories that I'm combining. Some relationships between characters will be altered, and I'm not sure I will have room to put all the major Code Geass characters into roles. I promise to do my best though. So without farther ado...**

Chapter 1: Christmas Eve Business

Clovis was dead, to begin with.

There was no denying that. His burial register was signed by the clergyman Jeremiah Gottwald, the clerk Bartley Asprius, the undertaker Luciano Bradly, and the chief mourner …. Okay, a chief mourner was hard to find since he was a man of few friends and fewer sincere ones, so the closest one they could find was his half-sister Cornelia.

Clovis was as dead as a door-nail.

Mind! I don't know, of my own knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a door-nail. I might have been inclined, myself, to regard a coffin-nail as the deadest piece of ironmongery in the trade. But the wisdom of our ancestors is in the simile; and my unhallowed hands shall not disturb it, or the country's done for. You will therefor permit me to repeat, emphatically, that Clovis was as dead as a door-nail. (A.N. This paragraph was taken directly from the book, so the credit goes to Charles Dickens. He dose present a good point.)

Did I mention that Clovis was, without a doubt, dead?

The news of the death of this man was broadcast by news reporter Diethard Ried. The common people of Japan were startled by the news and it frightened them greatly. For if he was dead, then the ownership of his company would most likely pass to his infamous partner, Lelouch Lamperouge.

As corrupt and cruel as Clovis was, he was but an acorn to an oak compared to Lelouch. The man was all brains and no heart. Ask him to explain strategic economics and he'll give you a well thought-out (if a bit condescending) answer. Ask him for the time of day, and he will most likely charge you for an answer. In fact people would cross to the other side of the road to avoid him!

Lelouch was a man with fewer friends then even Clovis had been. In-fact, it would be completely accurate to say that he had none at all. He was a man of business first, last, and all the time between. If one looked up 'brilliant and miserly business men', his image would instantly appear.

To say that he was not handsome in appearance would be the height of blasphemy. He was thin it was true, but his air of confidence, raven black hair and piercing violet eyes well made up for it. But his heart made his hair seem white in comparison. He viewed people as only pieces on a chess board: some of more power then others, but ultimately only there to be used for the gain of the king: himself. They could be tossed away as soon as their usefulness expired.

(Line Break)

We begin our tale two years after Clovis' passing, on December the 24th. A day marked throughout the world as a day of cheer and good-will to all mankind. However, not even the warmth of the Christmas holiday could warm either the office or the heart of Lelouch Lamperouge. They both were as cold as ice.

Said young man (around 20 years of age) had just entered said office, not caring for or not noticing the cold weather. To a man with his chilly demeanor, he felt right at home in the cold. He glanced at his clerk to make sure he wasn't trying to reach for the thermostat controls, then continued into his own office, making sure to keep the door open in order to keep his clerk under surveillance.

The clerk's name was Suzaku Kururugi. He was a lean and fit young man about the same age as his employer. He had green eyes and slightly ruffled brown hair. He was a man who would help anyone in need, whether he knew them or not. Where Lelouch saw people as pawns on a board, Suzaku saw them for what they were: human beings with lives to be respected. Lelouch suspected that he had a family at home, but saw no reason to inquire. It was of no concern or interest to him.

Scarcely had Lelouch sat down at his desk then the door flew open, letting some of the cold of winter inside. However, the one standing in the door-way had such an air of cheer about him that any discomfort at the cold was forgotten immediately. The intruder was a very tall man with stylishly combed blond hair, bright blue eyes that seemed to sparkle with both mischief and merriment, and a giant grin that threatened to split his head in two if it expanded so much as a centimeter.

The man announced his presence even farther with an energetic greeting: "Merry Christmas, Lelouch! How ya' doing this fine day?"

It was Lelouch's cousin, Gino Weinberg.

Lelouch simply scowled at him as he approached. "If you must know, Gino, Christmas finds me in utter contempt for it. Just as it did the past three years you have asked. Christmas?!" He grimaced, as if the word left a bad taste in his mouth. "Humbug I say!"

"Come on, don't be like that" his cousin scolded as he swung an arm around Lelouch's shoulders. "Also, no-one says that anymore. Get with the times at-least." Lelouch glared at him, but the blond's good mood could not be dampened even if he was dunked in Niagara Falls.

Lelouch asked him "What gives you the right to be happy? You're poor enough." Gino got a cheeky grin on his face and retorted "What right have you to be grouchy? You're rich enough." Lelouch opened him mouth to make some kind of reply, but found he could not. _'Curse him and his smart mouth!' _he silently growled.

"If I could force my will upon the world (A.N.*wink wink*) then every idiot that spouts that nonsense would get run over by a Knightmare!"

Lelouch spoke up before Gino could. "And before you ask, the answer is 'no'." Gino frowned slightly at this. "Oh come on, man! Why not? It'll do you good to get out and enjoy yourself once in a century or so."

Lelouch kept his seemingly-permanent scowl on his face. "Let me celebrate the holiday in my own way, Gino." Gino gave him a confused look. "But you _don't_ celebrate it at all." "Then let me ignore the holiday in my own way!" Lelouch was fast losing his notoriously short patience.

However, Gino Weinberg was nothing if not persistent. "So are you sure you won't come this time dude? You still haven't met my wife yet. And a friend of mine is cooking for us this year!" He looked at Lelouch's thin frame. "You could use a little more then bone on you."

Lelouch groaned. "I have better things to do then hang around a bunch of intellectually-challenged common folk."

He gave his cousin a cold look. "Why did you ever get married. No, strike that, who would ever merry you? I'm amazed that she's put up with you this long." Gino got a wistful look in his eyes as he stared out the window like an idiot. "Well that just goes to show you how awesome she is." He turned to his cousin with a sincere look on his face. "I married her because I fell in love. You should try it some time. In fact, you should try out any positive emotion. It would do you good."

Once again, Lelouch retorted with a huff "Humbug." Gino sighed. "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

Lelouch, unfortunately, missed his cousin's reference. He tried once again to put a dampener on Gino's cheery mood. "What has Christmas ever done for you? Has it ever allowed your business to turn a profit in any ways? I thought not. And anyways, is that not the message that is spread during this season?" Gino shook his head. "If that is what you see in Christmas, then you haven't looked close enough. Christmas is a time of year when even the worst enemies can sit together and talk in peace. When the very air seems to bring warmth instead of chill. When old wounds can be heal. I believe that Christmas _has _done me good and _will_ do me good and I say 'God Bless it'!"

At that point, Suzaku the clerk let out an involuntary cheer. Lelouch shot him a warning look, clearly stating that the next sound out of him would result in him celebrating the holiday unemployed. Suzaku sunk back into his chair.

Lelouch turned to his cousin, who _still_ had his arm wrapped around him. "You should have joined politics. They could use another ridiculous dreamer like you." Gino, who had been staring at Suzaku since his outburst, snapped back to Lelouch with a grin. "Well, if you come to my house tomorrow, there's more where that came form!" Lelouch scowled "Is there any thing _else_ you could be doing then wasting my time, Gino?" "Sadly, there is. But my invitation still stands if you change your mind. So, A merry Christmas to you-" "Good afternoon" Lelouch tried to interrupt him. "And a Happy New Year!" Gino finished anyways. Lelouch rubbed the bridge of his nose.

As Gino prepared to exit the cold office, he turned to the clerk at his desk. "Suzaku Kururugi, is that you?" he asked. The brown haired man smiled. "Gino Weinberg. How've you been? I don't think that we've seen each-other since our school days!" Gino got a nostalgic look in his eyes. "Old 'Knight of Rounds' academy. You know I hear old head-master Bismark is still there terrifying young students." Suzaku grinned. "How's everybody else doing?" he asked Gino. Gino smiled back. "Most of them will be at my party tomorrow. Why don't you join us. It'll be great having the whole gang back together." Suzaku shook his head. "I've got my own dinner plans, sorry. But we should get together some time and catch up." Gino agreed and wrote down his address and phone number for his old friend. As they headed to the door, Suzaku whispered to the taller blond. "Are the two of you really cousins?" Gino nodded. "My side of the family apparently got the better-attitude genes."

As Gino left, Suzaku waved him good-by. "Merry Christmas, Tristan." Gino waved back as they exchanged their old school code-names. "And A Happy New Year to you too, Lancelot!"

As Suzaku was about to close the door, two more people came inside. One was a young woman with blue eyes, short dark blue hair, and a kind smile on her face. The other was a young man with white hair, glasses, an intelligent yet childish gleam in his light blue eyes, and a mischievous smile on his face.

"Oh ho. It appears to be colder in here then it is outside" the tall man exclaimed. The kind-looking woman ignored him and politely asked Suzaku where they could find the owner of this business. Suzaku pointed them in the direction of Lelouch's office.

Lelouch looked up from his work, analyzed the new-comers, then returned to his notes. The woman introduced them. "Hello sir. My name is Cécile Croomy and this is my associate Lloyd Asplund. At this festive time of year, Mr. Lamperouge, there are many of us who feel that we should take care of the poor and homeless."

Her associate took this moment to make his presence known. "And we're also looking for people to invest in Knightmare research." At this, Cécile jabbed her elbow into his ribs. "Lloyd! We're here to collect donations for the poor, NOT to find investors for your research." Lloyd pouted. "But can't we split it 50/50?" Cécile shook her head at her partner, then turned back to Lelouch with a smile. "What might we put you down for, sir?"

"Nothing." "You wish to remain anonymous?" Lloyd asked. "I wish to be left alone!"

Lelouch looked back at the two odd people with a bored look. "Are there no prisons?" The two of them looked surprised at his question. "No ghettos?" Lloyd and Cécile continued to stare at him as he continued. "Why waist money on those who leach off of society? Why not just order an urban renewal to take out the trash?"

Cécile and even Lloyd were taken aback by his request. But the cold-hearted business man was not done. "I pay taxes to pay for prisons, not to give hand-outs to weaklings. What is the government thinking, being generous?"

Cécile's eyes went wide. "But these are human lives we're talking about! You can't just treat them like animals or pawns! Most people would rather die then return to the ghettos!" Lelouch gave her a look that held no pity, morality, or humanity in it. "If they would rather die then they had better do it and decrease the surplus population!"

Before Cécile could slap him, there was a clatter form the other room. Suzaku had apparently snapped his pen in half due to the rising anger inside of him. He didn't want to get fired so he held his tongue, but the anger in his eyes could not be hidden.

Lloyd broke the tense silence. "Would you, perhaps, be interested in investing in Knightmare research then?" he asked hopefully. Lelouch shook his head. "I've already set up an investment with the Indian scientist Rakshata Chawla. If your Knightmares can mach hers then I'll take you into consideration." Lloyd spluttered at the mention of his competitor and arch-rival. Lelouch simply nodded towards the exit. "There is the door. You may use it."

Cécile quickly began to understand why people referred to Lelouch Lamperouge as 'The Demon Money-Lender'.

As they passed by Suzaku he wished them a Merry Christmas, which brightened all three of them up considerably. Cécile gave him a kind smile, while Lloyd leaned close to him and whispered "If you ever want to leave this place, we do have an opening for test pilots and new Devicers." He slipped him a business card. "Just don't eat anything that Cécile cooks. A F.L.E.I.J.A. could do less damage." Cécile gave her companion a smile, but Suzaku could sense that Lloyd would be paying for that remark shortly and shivered on his behalf.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. As the eve of Christmas Eve set in, Suzaku stood up from his desk, put everything in order, and walked up to his boss's desk. His posture was strait as that of a solderer. Lelouch had already predicted what this would be about.

"So you want tomorrow off then?" Suzaku answered with a "Yes sir." Lelouch looked thoughtful for a moment, then sighed. "I suppose one day a year without the hindrance of people is reward enough for me." He looked up at Suzaku. "You may have the day off. However, you must be here an hour earlier the day after. Understood, Kururugi?" Suzaku nodded.

A few minutes later, we see a tall brown-haired Japanese young man rushing home to his family, while leaving behind a man in an office at his desk working and welcoming the darkness that matched his heart.

**And that's chapter one. Sorry if I made any of the characters too OOC. It's been a while since I watched R-2. And Lloyd and Cecile are hard for me to duplicate on paper. Hope I did okay.**

**Fun Fact: the whole 'people would cross to the other side of the road to avoid talking to him' is a nod to America's founding father Benjamin Franklin. He had his own character arc in life before the war for American Independence.**

**Let me know how I'm doing and if you guys enjoyed it. Please rate and review. And of course, Merry Christmas everyone! :)**


	3. Ch 2: A Ghost Among Us

(Ch. 2: A Ghost Among Us)

**Chapter two is here at-last! Enjoy!**

Eventually, Lelouch left his office building, ate his usual melancholy meal in his usual melancholy cafe, and headed to his home. Lelouch lived in a gloomy suite of rooms in a building that was a dismal heap of brick on a dark street. It had actually once belonged to his former partner, Clovis, who, you must remember, was without a doubt dead and decayed in his grave. That one thing you must remember, or nothing that follows will seem wondrous.

There was nothing remarkable about the knocker on the door, except that it was very large. Lelouch had seen it so many times that he had stopped noticing it altogether. He also gave his dead predecessor little though in general. So try to imagine his surprise, when, upon placing his key into the lock of the door, the iron knocker on the door seemed to shimmer and reform itself into the shape of Clovis' face! Lelouch blinked in surprise and the knocker returned to its original state.

To say that Lelouch was not startled would be untrue. His violet eyes narrowed in suspicion as he opened the door, half expecting to see the back of Clovis' head on the other side of the door! However, he saw nothing out of the ordinary behind the door or in the hall-way. He slammed the door after entering the house, and the sound sent echos down every hall-way. Lelouch kept the house dark to save on money, but some deep instinct told him to light the lamps. He did so, and continued up a long stair-case wide enough, ironically, for a hearse to drive up with room to spare.

After he checked every room and found nothing out of the ordinary, he decided that his strange hallucination was the result of something he ate. He would sue the cafe and find another one. The world was as it should be. He changed into a brown bathrobe for his pajamas and went to his living-room. He scanned the room for any unusual activity, then turned to get ready for bed.

As he turned to go, though, something most definitely out of the ordinary happened.

The house was equipped with those little bells used by rich Britannians to communicate with their servants before phones, or electronic devices in general, were invented. One of these bells hung on the wall of the living room for some long-forgotten purpose. The string that had once been hanging form it was long gone. So again, try to imagine Lelouch's surprise, and this time fear as well, when he heard a ringing sound behind him. He wiped around fast and saw that the bell was trembling slightly. After a few seconds he turned to leave and the ringing recommenced. He spun around again and saw that the bell was swinging and ringing on its own!

The sound increased as one by one every bell in the house began to join in the haunting call. For half a minute the noise filled the house, then abruptly ended, plunging the old house and Lelouch into an eery silence.

Then he heard the basement door close, the stairs creaking and a noise of clinking metal approaching the room where he stood.

Now Lelouch was not a man to believe in the supernatural easily without proof. He preferred to have things be logical and strategic. But even he began to doubt his fast-held beliefs. _'This could just be some high-tech prank being played by someone, right?'_ he thought to himself. _'But then...why do I have this sense of dread?'_ Before he could think farther, the noises stopped right out-side of the living room door. Lelouch expected the handle to turn. He was sadly disappointed. A literally ghostly figure phased right through the door into the room. Lelouch turned as pale as the specter in front of him.

There could be no doubt about it. The figure standing before him was his dead partner Clovis.

He appeared the same as he often had in life: dressed in clothes that were typically only affordable by royals, with a thin body, a very handsome (though perhaps a bit feminine) face, bright blue eyes and long blond hair.

But there were two things different about him. The first was that he was, as expected with ghosts, translucent. If Lelouch concentrated, he could see the buttons at the back of Clovis' coat through his partner's body. The second and much more noticeable change, was that his body was wrapped in what appeared to be a long chain. It wound from one shoulder to the opposite hip, wrapped around the other shoulder and hip, alternated between the two sides a few times, and wound around the hips for a few more loops. The chain was also fastened at irregular intervals with padlocks of varying size and weight. Altogether, it looked extremely heavy. Clovis' shoulders seemed to sag under the weight. Just looking at the chain filled Lelouch with dread.

Clovis' ghost looked around the room and gave Lelouch a slightly annoyed look. "Really Lelouch? What _have_ you done with my place? Where are my paintings? Don't tell me you sold them did you?" The voice was definitely that of Clovis.

Lelouch, while still wary, eased up ever so slightly. Hearing a familiar voice from a familiar face calmed him a little bit. "Is...is that you, Clovis?" he asked. The ghost smiled at him. "Ah, my old partner! Two years have passed and you look more wicked then ever. I knew you wouldn't disappoint me!" The shade walked up to a chair and sat down, his chains clattering as he did so. He motioned for Lelouch to take the seat opposite him, which Lelouch reluctantly did.

Lelouch looked at him suspiciously. "How do I know that you aren't just some figment of my imagination? Or the result of food poisoning?" Clovis simply laughed. "Still skeptical of anything 'unnatural', eh Lelouch? Well I can assure you that what mortals call 'natural' is just one side of the coin. This is quiet 'natural'." Before Lelouch could react, Clovis reached across the space that separated them and clasped him on the shoulder. Lelouch stiffened. The touch of the spirit before him seemed solid enough, but sent a chill that even _he_ shivered from. Not a physical chill, one that spread through his very soul.

Clovis removed his hand from Lelouch's shoulder with a smile on his face as he stroked his cravat with the other. "Believe me now?" he asked. Lelouch fixed him with a hard glare, then reluctantly nodded. "Good" Clovis exclaimed. "Now, let us get down to business. Sadly, I do not have much time." Lelouch looked thoughtful for a moment, then decided to ask the most obvious question. "Why are you here?" What he saw next surprised him. Clovis, who in life was always an over-dramatic actor at heart, looked at him with a deadly-serious expression on his face. "To warn you, Lelouch, of what will happen to you if you don't change your ways."

Lelouch blinked. What was that now? Clovis continued. "I was so corrupt and soulless in life that the Collective Unconsciousness refused to let me stay. So as punishment, I was sentenced to wander the earth and see the people, joys and smiles that I was too stupid to pursue. I lived only for myself, therefor I will spend eternity with only myself."

He turned to Lelouch and held up an end of the chain that was wrapped around him. "Do you see this chain, Lelouch?" Lelouch nodded. "It's kind of hard to miss" he replied dryly. Clovis continued. "This chain represents my sin in life. Each link represents an ignored opportunity to do good, a blind eye turned to those in need, and the glee of my own greed as I leached money off of those I lent to. Major offenses are punctuated by the padlocks. The unkind words, the cruelty, the greed." He groaned. "So much greed!" he lamented. "It is an ever-present reminder of the wrong I committed in life, and now I can't do anything about it! I am doomed, Lelouch!" He turned on his former partner with shame and pain on his face and in his eyes, things Lelouch had never expected to see in Clovis before. "Doomed to see the world in all its joys and possibilities and never be able to experience them for my own!"

Lelouch stared at him in shock. Was this really Clovis? He used to be so overly cheery most of the time but still a shrewd businessman who shared Lelouch's view of people being pawns. Now his ghost was looking at him with tears of pain and guilt forming in his eyes.

Lelouch's eyes widened in realization of what Clovis was saying. "Do you mean that...the same fate awaits me after my passing?" Clovis nodded. "And, spoiler alert, your chain was the size of mine two years ago. You have forged it longer, since. So your own chain will be heavier then mine."

He placed one link of his own chain in Lelouch's hand. Lelouch was shocked. It felt as if it weighed ten pounds at least! And that was just one link?

Clovis nodded solemnly. "This is the weight of guilt. A poet once said 'For all the sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: 'It might have been'."(A.N. from the poem 'Maud Muller' by John Greenleaf Whittier. Not to be confused with John Green.)

But Lelouch was a stubborn fool at times. So he refused to believe it. "What proof do you have! What concrete evidence can you give me? So I take money from the poor. Big deal! The strong devour the weak and survive! They are simply pawns in the game of life!" Clovis' look turned angry. "Can you not feel the chain being forged in your heart?! Have you erased all consciousness from you, that you don't feel even the smallest bit of guilt!? Have you become like your father!?"

That last accusation shut Lelouch up for several minuets. Then he looked at the ghost as if he intended to try and strangle the already dead man. "How...do you know about _him_?" Lelouch questioned him through clenched teeth. Clovis calmed down and answered with a small smile. "While during my brief time with the Collective Unconsciousness, I took the liberty to look into your past." Lelouch glared at him. "That was not your place to do so, ghost!"

Clovis looked at him in sympathy. "We are _both_ ghosts, Lelouch. You are but a very dull shadow of what you once were. I was surprised to see you were happy once, till you put yourself and your money first in your life. Take my word for it, it's not worth it."

The ghost then stood up from his seat. "There is another reason that I came tonight. I not only came to warn you of your fate. I also came to offer you a deal." Lelouch looked at him questioningly. "I have made a plea for your case to the Collective Unconsciousness and they have decided to give you one chance." He looked at Lelouch sternly. "_Only_ one chance, mind you!"

Lelouch released a sigh of relief and rose from his own chair. "Thank you Clovis. I should have know I could count on you." Clovis gave him an amused smile. "The solution is...that you will be haunted by three spirits tonight!" Lelouch paled at the prospect. _One_ haunting was bad enough! How could he survive _three_ more!? He looked back at Clovis and saw with annoyance that the ghost was chuckling at his bewilderment! He glared at the spirit. "That's not funny, Clovis!" he yelled. Clovis simply shrugged, causing his cursed chains to jingle as if they were laughing along with him.

"It's ether that or joining the chain-gang" he responded. Lelouch groaned, then reluctantly nodded. Clovis looked relieved to see this. "Good. Right then. Expect the first ghost tonight when the bell tolls one. Understand?"

Lelouch still looked uncomfortable. "Must this happen? Can't I just meet them all at once and be done with it?" Clovis shook his head. "Without these visits, Lelouch, you might as well shot yourself in the head right now."

He paused, then, with unnatural speed, crossed over to Lelouch and threw his arms around him. Lelouch was startled by this. Clovis had never done this in life, and Lelouch would never have allowed it to begin with. But something was different about the ghost's touch. Instead of being cold and hopeless, the feeling spreading through his body was...warmth. A feeling so foreign to him that it took his brain a while to recognize it. Clovis was giving off this aura because he now felt...hope. Before, his touch was cold and full of despair. Now, the hope that he felt for his former partner was generating a feeling of warmth to flood the ghost's form and even spread to Lelouch. He even felt as if his chains were lighter then before. Touch was the easiest way to tell how a ghost is feeling, but no one ever knew that as no one has ever, to my knowledge, intentionally hugged a ghost.

"I'm glad I could talk with you again, Lelouch. I wish you the best of luck." Lelouch was about to retort that there was no such thing as luck before realizing that he was currently being hugged by the ghost of his most-definitely dead partner and had been promised to be visited by three more spirits later that night. His suspension of disbelief was steadily decreasing.

Clovis released him and turned to leave. As he reached the door he turned to Lelouch again. "By the way, what _ever _did you do with this place? Where's my favorite arm-chair? My books? And all of my beloved paintings?" Lelouch smirked. "You'd be surprised how much people are willing to pay for furniture and books and paintings. I sold them all after your death." Clovis groaned. "Don't make me take back my offer, Lelouch!" he warned. Lelouch paled at the concept.

As the spirit of Clovis vanished through the door, Lelouch sank back into his chair. He doubted his insurance covered 'ghosts breaking and entering.' He considered writing out a will, just in chase. He glanced at the clock. It was eleven-(no insult intended)-thirty. Only one and a half hours till the first of the spirits would appear.

**I used a lot of creative license for this chapter, hope you don't mind. This is my own version of the conversation, with most of it being my own bits. Hope you guys like the 'ghost-aura' concept. I tried to add more symbolism and humor to this scene.**

**Hope you guys are enjoying it so far! Please rate and review and let me know how I'm doing so far. I'll get back to you guys as soon as I can. Up next, we will meet The Witch of Pizza (whoops, sorry. I mean) Ghost of Christmas past.**

**Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! :)**


	4. Ch 3: A Journey to the Past (Part 1)

Chapter 3: Journey to the Past (Part 1)

As Lelouch lay in his large, four-poster bed, he tried very hard to convince himself that his encounter with the Ghost-of-Clovis-Past was nothing more then a dream...or hallucination...or anything but reality in general.

He could not. It was simply too real to be anything other then cold fact. And that worried Lelouch to no end.

He was startled out of his musings by a series of resounding 'Bong!'s. The clock had just struck twelve-forty-five. Lelouch, now sitting bolt upright, clenched fist-fulls of sheets in his hands as his whole body tensed up. The next fifteen minuets felt like an eternity.

Finally, the clock struck one. A bright flash of light illuminated the darkness for a moment, then subsided. Lelouch apprehensively reached for the curtains hanging from his bed-posts and drew them back swiftly.

Now, when he heard the word 'spirits', Lelouch was inclined to envision a robed ghost or an elven figure, neither old nor young. What he was _not_ expecting was a girl of about sixteen with pale skin, butter-golden eyes and long lime-green hair dressed in a white prisoner's straight-jacket holding a Cheese-kun plushy under one arm while her other hand held a slice of pizza. A pizza box adorned the table nearby.

Lelouch's mouth was hung open in shock at the strange person before him. The girl simply raised a green eyebrow at him. "What? You were expecting me right? It's not like I popped in uninvited or anything." Lelouch blinked. "So you're the spirit whose coming was foretold to me?" he asked. The girl nodded, keeping a rather bored look on her face. "More of an immortal then a spirit, but yes." She took a bite out of her slice of pizza.

Lelouch gave her a suspicious look. "Who are you?" he asked. The girl frowned at him, with a string of cheese trailing between her mouth and the slice. She bit it off, swallowed, then spoke. "I thought I told you, I'm the visitor that you've been expecting." Lelouch was getting impatient. "I mean, what's your name?" he clarified. A small, mischievous smile appeared on her face. _'She's toying with me!'_ Lelouch thought in outrage. "You could call me 'The Ghost of Christmas Past' if you like, but I prefer to go by the name C.C. (C2)" Lelouch frowned. "'C.C.?' What kind of name is that?" She continued to give him a _'You'll never find out'_ look that really annoyed him.

To move the conversation forward, Lelouch spoke. "What do you mean by 'Past'? Long past or recent past?" She looked him dead in the eye and answered "Your past." Lelouch scowled. The past was a touchy subject for him.

"What business has brought you here?" he asked. "Your welfare" C.C. responded. Lelouch huffed. _'A night of undisturbed sleep would be of more help to that end than this annoying woman!'_ Lelouch thought to himself. "Your salvation then." Lelouch looked up, startled. _'Did she just read my thoughts?'_ he wondered in alarm. She continued to give him a blank look, but he could see mirth dancing in her eyes. He frowned.

"My time is limited." C.C. said while finishing off her pizza slice. "Come. We have a journey to go on." Before Lelouch could protest that the weather and hour were not suitable for pedestrian purposes; or that the bed was warm and the thermometer was well below freezing; or that he was only lightly clad in his slippers, nightcap, and dressing gown, the strange woman before him reached out a hand and placed the tips of her fingers on his forehead. He thought he caught a gleam of red from under the lime locks on her forehead before a strange sensation came over him.

It was as if his consciousness was separated from his body and sent flying through a tunnel of lights and strange images. Lines like a circuit-board, two planets floating close to one another, gears connecting and turning, as well as many other still stranger sights. When it all subsided, he found himself and the 'ghost' standing on a marble pathway in a vast marble hall. On either side of the hall hung rows and rows of large picture frames. Only, the pictures were moving. Lelouch gasped in shock. Each frame contained a scene from his past. He and his green-hared guide were standing in the hall of his memories.

Lelouch recovered from his shock long enough to wipe the pizza grease from his forehead where C.C.'s hand had been. "You could have at least wiped your hand first!" he said, trying his best not to sound shaken by what had just happened or where they currently stood. C.C. simply giggled. "You insufferable..." Lelouch fumbled to find the right word to describe her, "witch!" he finally finished. She simply gave him another sly smirk, then literally dragged him through one of the pictures on the wall.

Lelouch recognized it all too well. It was one of the scenes from his childhood. He and C.C. were standing in the living-room of a large and richly-decorated house. A young boy of about ten years old with raven black hair and violet eyes was playing over by the Christmas Tree with some Knightmare action figures. Lelouch was well familiar with it. When there was no one around to challenge to a game of Chess, he settled for leading and organizing his army of plastic war-machines. Of course, back then, the best model they had available was the Ganymede, a simple 3rd Generation Knightmare Frame. He chuckled at how far the world had come.

His laughter vanished however, when two figures entered the room. One was a woman with long hair that was the same shade as his own, and eyes that also matched his. He scowled. It was his mother, Marianne. He had eventually learned that, though she claimed to love him, she loved herself above all. He outright roared in rage at the next figure that entered the room. A large, imposing man with white hair arranged like a judge's wig, a grim expression on his face, and a cold, cruel light in his piercing violet eyes. It was his father, by birth if nothing else. He only held that title in the broadest interpretation of the word.

Still roaring in outrage, Lelouch lunged at the man, hands reaching for his throat. It would have been a bit comical, seeing a skinny young man attempt to attack a much larger and sturdier opponent, but the look in Lelouch's eye bespoke pure hatred and a murderous intent. However, he was surprised to discover that his hands had no effect on the man's windpipe, but phased right through his neck. He looked at his hands and saw that they were transparent. He looked down at his body and found that it was the same!

Before he could say anything, C.C., who had not moved from her place but simply stood watching, said "These are but shadows of your past, Lelouch. Figments lost to the flow of time that can-not be altered, only reflected on. They can neither see nor hear you." Lelouch grunted in annoyance, then stepped back to rejoin her. Together, the invisible specters stood witness to the scene that followed.

"Move aside, boy!" Charles, Lelouch's father, said. The young boy glared up at the man, unafraid of his imposing presence. There was no reason for his father to demand this. He was not in the way, he was in no danger of being tripped over, and his father did not need his spot. It was just his way of telling Lelouch to vanish from sight and not disturb them. So he asked in his own cold voice, "And may I ask why?" Charles frowned. "Your mother and I wish to have the living-room to ourselves. Now go to your room." The young boy simply kept glaring. Over by the wall, the 20-year-old specter glared along with his 10-year-old counterpart. Charles' already thin patience snapped! "You insolent little-!" He lifted his large hand and swung it towards Lelouch in a slapping motion! Before it reached him, however, something sprang into the room and knocked Lelouch out of harms way, receiving the blow itself!

Both past and present Lelouch's eyes went wide as they recognized the pink waves of hair. The small figure turned to the parents and Lelouch's heart clenched. It was a small, nine-year-old girl, with a pink and white dress decorated with roses, flowing pink hair and bluish violet eyes. It was his little sister, Euphemia. Or, as she preferred to be called, Euphie.

She looked pleadingly up at her parents, who were not phased in the slightest at what had occurred, her arms outstretched to either side in a shielding gesture. "Stop! Please. We're on our way now." She turned her head and fixed her older brother with a surprisingly stern glance. "Right, Lelouch?" The sight of the red mark on her cheek from the blow she had taken on his behalf took all the fight out of the young boy. He hung his head in shame and nodded. Wordlessly, the two children gathered up the Knightmares and went upstairs to Lelouch's room. It was a well lit, spacious room with a decent sized bed, furnished with a dresser, wardrobe, and a table and chairs by the window. On the table was, of course, a chess set that was always set up and ready for Lelouch's next challenge, such as they were.

Lelouch glared at the door after his sister closed it. "He shouldn't have hit you" he growled. Euphie gave him another angry glance. "And you shouldn't have challenged him. I know how he can be, but you have to stop provoking him!" She shook her head at him. "I swear Lelouch, if this is how rebellious you are at ten, what will you be like when you hit your teens?" The young boy didn't answer, but continued to stare at the door, avoiding his sister's gaze. In another corner of the room, Present-Lelouch just kept staring at the young girl, as if she was the ghost and not him.

"She seems to care about you very much" C.C. said. Lelouch jumped. He had forgotten that she was there beside him. He went back to observing the scene before him as he whispered his response "Yes." A slight twitch came to the corners of his mouth as he continued "She was always one to scold me, but she always wanted peace and nothing more. She was always there to make this hell-hole brighter."

Meanwhile, young Euphie placed a gentle hand on her brother's cheek and turned his head to face hers. The anger had vanished from her eyes and in its place was a look of concern. _'She never could stay mad for long'_ Present-Lelouch thought. _'She was just too gentle for that'_. "I know that we don't have the best parents, Lelouch. But we have to try to be better then them. If you keep lashing out at those who hurt you, you'll end up just like our father." Past-Lelouch was about to protest, but closed his mouth in defeat. Euphie continued, "You shouldn't let him drag you down, Lelouch. And besides," here the little girl broke into a grin, "we get to have our own Christmas tomorrow!" Past-Lelouch's eyes brightened at that. And Present-Lelouch smiled for the first time in years. It was a small one, hardly noticeable, but it was there. "Since our parents didn't care for Christmas, we had to have it ourselves. Every Christmas we would open presents in one of our rooms, and then go downstairs for a mug of coco." His tiny smile got a tiny bit bigger. "She always got wiped-cream and I always got marshmallows."

The room suddenly became much brighter and a new scene appeared before him. It showed young Lelouch in bed under the covers, breathing lightly in his sleep as light slipped through the curtains. He rolled over a bit, then lay still. The door opened as Euphie quietly entered the room and closed the door behind her. _'That's right'_ Lelouch remembered. _'It was my room's turn that year'_. He and Euphie would alternate who's room they celebrated in each year. The young girl smiled at her older brother's sleeping form and said "If only you could stay this at peace all the time. Your life would be so much better." Then, with her eyes sparkling brightly, she ran over to Lelouch's bed and began shaking him awake. "Lelouch! Get up you sleepy-head! It's Christmas Day!" The boy groaned, then opened his purple orbs. "Merry Christmas Euphie" he said with a yawn. She beamed at this and responded with a 'Merry Christmas' of her own.

"Well this is a surprise." C.C. said. "The Demon Money-Lender used to say 'Merry Christmas'? Without hesitating or flinching I might add." Present-Lelouch shot his guide a glare that would set most people trembling. She continued giving him that teasing look, took another bite out of her pizza that seemed to appear out of nowhere, and turned back to watch what happened next.

"Did you bring it?" Past-Lelouch asked. Euphie nodded and held up the full red stocking she had brought into the room with her. Present-Lelouch actually laughed. "The 'Sibling Stockings'! I had completely forgotten about that." C.C. gave him a confused look, so he explained. "Sibling Stockings was a tradition that we made up. Our parents never did anything for us on Christmas, so each of us would fill the other one's stocking and we would exchange them on Christmas morning. Then we would open the presents that couldn't fit in the stockings." C.C. got another one of her teasing smiles. "'Sibling Stockings'?" "It was Euphie's idea!" he insisted.

He watched as he and his sister traded stockings and opened their presents. He watched as they talked, laughed and smiled. No matter how bad things got, Euphie's kindness and gentleness kept him going. It seemed as if an angel had come to live with him. After they were done, they went down to the kitchen for the coco part of their traditional Christmas. As they sat together, Euphie commented "Isn't it wonderful?" Past-Lelouch gave her a quizzical look. "Christmas." Euphie explained. "When it comes around, it brings a feeling of peace and love. People are more willing to help each-other and everyone seems happier." She looked out the window. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could always be like that?" she said, almost to herself. "She's a gentle one, isn't she?" CC asked. "That would be an understatement." Lelouch answered. "She couldn't even hate our parents. She went out of her way so many times for total strangers. All she wanted in life was to see people safe and happy." A slight tremor could be heard in his voice as he finished.

He continued. "This was the last year we spent Christmas together." "What happened after that?" C.C. inquired. Lelouch clenched his fists. "I was shipped off to a school in Japan while _they_ kept her here. They tore my sister away from me!" "Is that why you became as heartless as your father?" He whirled towards her. "Don't your dare compare me to him! And what does it matter, anyways? The past is dead and gone! You said so yourself!" The specter simply stared at him. "Gone, yes. But dead, no. Our lives are made from our choices, Lelouch. And the choices you've made have given you the life you now live. Would Euphemia be happy to see the brother that she loved so dearly now has all the money he could ever need, but a heart that is cold, hard, cruel and shielded from the world?"

Lelouch stopped dead in his tracks. He was ashamed to admit it, but he had forgotten about his dear sister. How would she react to see in him like this? No, she had probably already seen him through his reputation as an 'enthusiastic business man'. He didn't know what had happened to her after he had destroyed his father's company. He had never given her any thought. She, his only light in this dark and oppressive house, had been forgotten and ignored. He had often blamed his parents for abandoning him. It felt like a knife to his icy heart to realize that _he_ had abandoned his own sister. He felt his heart clench in a long-forgotten sensation: guilt. A drop of moisture ran from the corner of his eye down his face. "No" he said in a whisper so quiet that it almost went unheard. "She would not".

In her head, C.C. nodded in approval. The stone heart had begun to crack.

Then she smirked. "Now, was the academy you were sent to really that bad?"

**I'm BACK, GUYS! Hope you didn't mind the wait. ****Please let me know how I did. Rate and reviews are much appreciated. I will see you guys next time!**

**P.S. The answer to the quiz question in the 'Intro and Disclamers' section is 'Code Geass: Lelouch of the Abridged' by 'DemonGroceryStore'. Check him out on youtube.**

**Happy New Year! :)**


	5. Ch 4: JTTP (Part 2) Ashford Antics

(JTTP Part 2: Ashford Antics)

Last Time: _"Now, was the academy you were sent to really that bad?"_

Before Lelouch could answer, the world seemed to ripple around him and the scene changed once again. Now he and C.C. were standing outside of a large stone building with many windows, with spacious grounds blanketed with snow and a path that was lined with arched pillars leading to the gate in the wall that surrounded the area.

Lelouch recognized it immediately. "Ashford Academy!" he exclaimed.

A strange thrill ran through his body as he took in the familiar sights. The school seemed to awaken a sense of excitement within him. C.C. gave him a sidelong glance as he stared at the building. "Can you find your way to your class room?" she asked. Lelouch laughed. "Find it? I could walk these halls blindfolded!" "Strange to have forgotten it for so many years" the witch replied. Lelouch didn't answer.

They walked straight through the large wooden double-doors of the school and Lelouch led the way through the white-walled hallways. But his pace was slow, not out of uncertainty of the direction, but rather in order to saver the feeling of being reunited, albeit in a spectral form through a memory, with the place. He ran his finger tips along the walls, reacquainting himself with their patterns.

As he passed the doors of the class rooms, Lelouch was conscious of a thousand odors, each one connected with a thousand thoughts and hopes and joys and cares long long forgotten. He saw students rushing past on their way to their next class, each one eager to finish for the day in order to get to the holiday break as soon as possible. Lelouch found, to his surprise, that he recognized very many of them by name, even if he hadn't been that involved with them before. Why was he glad beyond all bounds to see them again? Why did his cold eyes glisten, and his heart leap up as they went past? Why was he filled with gladness when he heard them give each-other a 'Merry Christmas' as they parted at the cross-ways of the halls? What was 'Merry Christmas' to him? Out upon Merry Christmas! What good had it ever done him?

Finally, all the regular students went home for the day. However, the school was not deserted. Lelouch and C.C. made their way to a certain room that was more of a meeting room then a class room. As they neared the door, muffled voices could be heard from inside. Lelouch swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat, then phased through the door into the room.

A group of teenagers dressed in their regular school uniforms were gathered around the head of a large table, discussing the up-coming Christmas Party they had to plan (and budget for) in less then a week. It was the Student Council of Ashford Academy. And Lelouch knew them all very well.

There was a blond girl standing on the far side of the table, with her arms crossed over her well-endowed chest and a look of pure joy and mischief dancing in her blue eyes. It was the Student Council President (or 'task-master'), Milly Ashford.

Sitting at the head of the table was a boy with spiked blue hair, gray eyes and a foolish grin on his face. Lelouch felt the urge to grin back. It was his old partner-in-crime, and the Student Council Treasurer, Rivalz Cardemonde. A ridiculous last-name for a ridiculous boy.

Over in a corner, at a small desk with a computer, was a shy girl with glasses, black (AHK, sorry 'dark-green') hair and indigo eyes. She was so shy, in-fact, that it was sometimes easy to forget her presences altogether. The smartest (and shyest) girl in school, Nina Einstein.

In the chair next to Rivalz was a girl with fiery red hair and bright blue eyes. Her hair was let down and fell to her shoulders. She was sick most of the time, but that did not stop her from attending the Christmas holidays. It was Kallen Stadtfeld, the girl with rich parents and poor health.

And there, with their backs turned to the specters, sat the last two members.

The girl's face was turned from him, but Lelouch knew from the cascade of long orange hair who she was. A girl with yellowish-green eyes that were always so full of life, a pretty face and a smile that could light up even the darkest of rainy days. A girl who's enthusiasm and kindness were boundless. And she could also give a pretty good chewing-out whenever she heard about his and Rivalz's 'escapades'. It was the member of the Swim Team, Shirley Fenette.

And, of course, next to her sat a boy of sixteen that Lelouch knew very well indeed. Vice President of the Student Council, Lelouch Lamperouge.

Both visitors moved around to the other side of the table to get a better view of what was going on and listened closely to what they were saying.

"Oh, come on Lelouch!" Milly said, exasperated. The black hared youth shook his head vigorously. "No, Milly. After what I went through on Valentines Day-" both past and present Lelouch shuddered violently at the memory, "I'm never dressing up for a Holiday party AGAIN!" Present-Lelouch began muttering to himself. "Wings...Toga...Heart-arrows." But Milly, also known as 'the she-devil of Ashford' for good reasons, simply hit him over the head with a rolled-up magazine that she always seemed to have at these meetings.

Rivalz, who had a pencil and notebook always handy, interjected. "Oh, come on buddy. It wasn't all that bad, was it?" Lelouch shot him a horrified look. "It was _worse_ then the cross-dressing ball! And I didn't think _anything_ could top that!" C.C. raised an eye-brow at him. Her companion sighed and reluctantly explained. "Milly had an...interesting way of planning events. Frankly I'm surprised that she wasn't declared mentality-insane." He turned back to the group.

Shirley spoke up. "Well we need _someone_ to do it! And I'm already signed-up to be an Elf, so it can't be me." The Vice-President paled, and getting desperate, pointed to another member. "Then why can't Kallen do it? She's not busy that weekend...is she?" The normally meek and quiet red-head shot him a dangerous look. "The last time I volunteered to participate at a school event, I was stuck in a sweltering foam tomb-stone costume for the Halloween Haunted Maze. If you even think about volunteering me to wear a beard, a coat, and a _fat-suit_, you better have your death-certificate written out." All present shivered at her tone.

Nina spoke up, or at-least spoke, at this point. "Well, since we're taking turns dressing up, then it ought to be your turn about now." Teen-Lelouch frowned. "We never established a 'turn system' for events." Milly's eyes sparkled. "Oh yes we did" she said in a sing-song tone. "When?" Lelouch demanded. At this point Shirley jumped in while shooting the boy next to her a cross look. "If you had been at the meeting last month instead of running off to gamble at chess games then you would have known about that, Lulu!" C.C. giggled. "'Lulu'?" Lelouch frowned. "It was what she always called me."

"And besides," Rivalz added, "Milly got a call from your boss, Kirihara, and he said that you had the holiday off till January second!" In spite of the situation his past self was in, Present-Lelouch smiled at the thought of the man he had been apprenticed to. Taizo Kirihara was the man in charge of one of Japan's largest Sakuradite mines, who had taken Lelouch on as an intern. He was an old man with a bald head and a gnarled wooden cane that he always had with him. While he was very Japanese, he embraced the Christmas season and gave his Britannian workers the holiday off. He had taught Lelouch much about business and was impressed by the young man's sharp mind. Lelouch smiled again. He owed the man a lot, now that he thought about it. Lelouch then found himself wondering how the man was now and why on earth he hadn't kept in touch with his old employer.

His past self, however, was just staring at his class-mates as they all turned to face him. "You're all ganging up on me!" he protested. Milly got a predatory glint in her eye. "No way out of this one, Lelouch. So, you'll do it." That last part was not phrased as a question. Lelouch, ever the stubborn one, still refused.

Suddenly, Milly sucked in a deep breath and yelled out before anyone could react "GUTS!" Everyone flinched and covered their ringing ears, even if it was too late to do any good. "Still using that 'Guts' spell?" Rivalz complained. Shirley rubbed her ears. "Seriously, Madam President! With lungs like yours, you could join the Swim Team and stay under water for a whole minute!" Milly just continued tapping her rolled up magazine into the palm of her free hand as she stood over Lelouch. He finally hung his head in defeat. "I guess there's no way out of this one" he mumbled. The she-devil grinned in triumph.

"Well I for one am looking forward to this event!" Shirley said brightly. _'Oh great'_ Lelouch thought to himself. _'I know where this is going'_. Since he could not warn his former class-mate about the trap she was springing on herself, he was forced to simply observe it happen again. "Supple and willing. I like that" Milly responded. The oranget gave something that was half-muscle-flex and half-fist-pump as she answered. "I work hard in the gymnastics club!" In his chair, Present-Lelouch smiled at the girl's enthusiasm. "That's not what I meant" Milly replied with a smirk. Shirley looked at her, confused.

"You're a ten" Milly stated, causing the other girl to give a small 'Huh?' and look down at her chest. "At least from what I've seen in the girl's bathroom. You've been filling out in all the right places" Milly said with that devilish smirk never leaving her face. Both Lelouchs blushed at the, quite true, statement. The poor girl swiftly used her arms to cover herself as she blushed a shade of red that rivaled that of Kallen's hair. Said red-head was also covering her own, _cough_ fine _cough_, figure from prying eyes as Shirley exploded in protest. "W-What are you talking about, you big perv?" Rivalz's perverted grin widened at the word 'big' being used to describe the blond women. (A.N. Sorry! I couldn't resist. XD) While Lelouch knew that his friend had a huge crush on the school president, he _was_ still a teenager after all. As the meeting came to an end, Shirley could be heard muttering something about the school president being a 'dirty old man on the inside'.

* * *

The scene changed yet again. The whole school was decorated with garlands, wreaths and mistletoe. Lots...of mistletoe. Specially ordered by Milly Ashford. Spectral Lelouch and C.C. were standing in the middle of the school ball room, which was filled with students, tables, chairs and food. Lelouch could see C.C.'s eyes widen at the sight of all the pizza, and decided to have some fun with her. "You know, if we had arrived at the summer school festival, you could have seen us make the largest pizza in the world." The green-haired girl whirled around to face him. "Don't tease me like that!" she said with a huff. It was Lelouch's turn to smirk. "I'm not kidding. Look at that picture on the wall, witch. You'll see that it's the truth." When the immortal looked at the picture he had pointed at, her eyes grew as large as dinner plates. Lelouch laughed as he witnessed love at first sight...between a pizza-crazed woman and a photo of a 20ft diameter multi-topping pizza.

As Lelouch looked around at all the smiling faces, he felt a strange feeling of warmth in his chest. He felt...happy. Happy to see such joy all around him. A small smile appeared on his face as he saw Sophie Wood (Shirley's room-mate) chatting away with a pink-hared girl named Miya Hillmick.

As he scanned the crowd, he spotted Rivalz pull out what looked like a champagne bottle, which earned him a glare from Kallen and a scolding from Shirley. He quickly assured them that it was simply orange soda, and the two girls settled down. Lelouch let out a sigh of relief. The student council's last encounter with champagne had ended up with a drenched (and ticked off) Kallen. From then on, Rivalz tried his best to never get the seemingly-weak red-head upset at him. Being sick, it seemed, left her irritable at times.

Later, the younger Lelouch appeared in a Santa costume (which he remembered had been boiling to be in) and began handing out presents with the help of the 'elves' Shirley and Rivalz, who had both gone and changed into their outfits. C.C. noticed that Shirley would blush whenever Lelouch's hand would touch hers while passing her a present. They saw Milly directing a massive White Elephant Party (the game where everyone draws numbers, and takes turns either opening a mystery present or stealing some one else's, and each present can only be stolen three times) for the entire school, a truly impressive feat. As he stood there and laughed along with the antics of his old friends, a flood of warmth washed over him. He began to realize that he had missed the joy of human companionship. In fact, he had almost forgotten what that had felt like.

"A wasteful endeavor." He turned to his companion in confusion at her statement. She simply gazed out at the crowd with a blank look. _'What's with this girl?'_ Lelouch wondered. _'She goes from blank to teasing and vise __verse__ in mere seconds.' _Out loud though, he said "What do you mean?" She turned to him. "Isn't it? All this to make these silly students feel happy when they could just as easily have celebrated in there own homes." "That's not the point!" Lelouch defended, and he began, unconsciously, to speak like his former and not his present self. "It's not about the money, C.C.. Milly and the rest of us on the Student Council had the power to make their hearts and burdens heavier or lighter. Their school experience a toil or a pleasure. To keep their spirits up or drag them down. The cost for this event, and all those like it, is worth every penny for the happiness they give. And I can see no other reward that can match it!"

As he ended his speech, C.C. continued to stare at him. Lelouch looked away. "What's the matter?" she asked. He replied that it was nothing. She persisted, so he answered. "I just wish I could have a few words with my clerk and two people that came into my office today. That's all." C.C. nodded.

Just then, the sound of silverware ringing against a glass could be heard. As silence descended over the crowd, Milly could be seen standing at the top of the stairs as if it were a stage and raised her glass dramatically. "Well everyone, we've had a great year this year. I can honestly say that this has been the best year I've had so far for us!" Lelouch groaned as he remembered some of the events that the blond she-devil had proposed and muttered something about 'swimsuit day disaster' and the Absolute-Silence party being unfair. Milly continued with a frighteningly-amused smile. "And I can't wait to make next year even _more_ memorable!" She raised her glass. "So let's have a toast to a Merry Christmas and a happy 2017!"

While all the students in the vast room cheered and drank to the toast, Lelouch felt as if the world had slowed down. His eyes were wide with shock and he was trembling all over. _'That year!'_ he realized. _'Then...this is the last Christmas I had at Ashford! No, it's the last Christmas I ever had!'_ He turned to C.C. in shock and rage all at once. "Why? Why are you tormenting me with memories of what I had just before I lost them? First my last year with Euphie, and now Ashford!? Why are you tormenting me witch!?" She continued to stare at him, and Lelouch got the feeling that she was staring straight into his soul. Her reply was calm, but all the more bitter to Lelouch because of it. "I had to show you the joys you once had, so that you could feel the full weight of what you do next." Lelouch's eyes widened in fear. He fell to his knees and grasped at her prisoner's straight-jacket. "Please!" he begged. "Do not show me that year!" But C.C.'s golden eyes remained unblinking, though sorrow danced in their depths. She closed her eyes and the word around the two of them faded.

**Well there you go! Hope you guys enjoyed it and that I did okay with the characters. Please leave a review and let me know what you think! It will be very appreciated! I would also like to thank everyone for their support! :)**

**The Rules for the White Elephant Party, or whatever you guys call it, is based on how my family plays it. We also allow a five minute time at the end where people can trade gifts with one another.**

**Also, when I was looking at each character's wiki page to get the eye colors right, I was surprised to find that Nina's hair is not black but dark green! Anyone else think it was black or am I the only one?**

**Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed it and I'll get back to you as soon as I can! Late Happy New Year! :) **


	6. Ch 5: JTTP (Part 3) Shattered Hearts

(JTTP: Shattered Hearts)

**Warning: The following chapter contains heavy emotional pain and major Shirlulu. Read at your own risk.**

As the world faded back into existence, Lelouch kept his eyes clenched tight, as if he was hoping that it would stop the vision he had been thrown into from happening. _'But that's just the problem'_, Lelouch thought. _'It did happen'_.

Finally, he dared to open his eyes, and the sight he saw was burned like hot iron back into his memory.

He saw himself, at the age of seventeen, standing in the office that was his when he had joined up with Clovis four years ago. Outside the window the snow was blowing in a storm that sent up moans like some tortured soul. He was dressed in a business suit now instead of his old school uniform. Lelouch remembered that he had graduated early and set off into business for himself, all with the goal of tearing down his father's fortune in a business war for dominance.

As he let go of C.C.'s jacket and stood up, he saw it. A cold, restless, greedy glint in his younger version's eyes that bespoke the passion for wealth that had taken root and had uprooted all the other joys in his life. His expression was blank, as if he had altogether abandoned his humanity.

Standing across from him was none-other then Shirley. She was dressed in a black mourning dress, as if she had just come from a funeral, which she in-fact had. Her father, Joseph Fenette, had died in a car accident as he was out looking for work. Lelouch's conquest had caused his father to lay off several men, including Shirley's own father. So, in a way, Lelouch had been responsible for her father's death. Lelouch's chest became tight at the thought.

_'She never openly blamed me'_, he thought, _'But still...how could anyone forgive me for what I've done?'_. Shirley lifted her head and a sob escaped the demon as he raised a hand to his mouth. Her eyes! Those eyes that were once so full of life were now so...empty. So scared and lost. They say that the eyes are the window to the soul, and Shirley's feeling always shone through hers. She was completely shattered.

"Lulu" she began softly. The young man interrupted. "If you're going to speak to me, then use my proper name." Present-Lelouch's eyes widened at his tone. Had he really been that rude? He saw the hurt in Shirley's face as she continued slowly. "We...that is the rest of the Student Council and I...were wandering if you would like to...join us for a Christmas dinner. There won't be anyone else there. Just the old group. We haven't seen you all year." Older-Lelouch was shocked as he remembered. He had just practically murdered her father, whom she loved with all her heart, and she was inviting him to eat with her?

Younger-Lelouch simply shook his head. "I have more important things to do that evening." His older counterpart wanted to scream at him. Shirley's face, if possible, became even sadder. "We miss you, Lelouch" she said in a whisper. "I...miss you." Lelouch felt like he had been stabbed. His younger form simply huffed. "If I am to succeed in life then I must cast off all distractions." If he could see into the spectral plain, the young demon would have heard an outraged roar that would have sent a lion running. "They were the only friends you ever had and you call them 'distractions'!?"

Shirley hung her head. "So...it seems something else has replaced us in your life." "And what would that be?" the teen asked in a bored tone. "...Gold and wealth." Shirley replied. Past-Lelouch's face didn't waver. "That is simply how the world works. Nothing is so hard, or so looked down upon, as poverty."

Shirley lifted her head. "You fear the world too much, Lelouch. All your other hopes have been lost and forgotten, except for being above its judgment. You've been swallowed up by the need for gain." "What of it?" he retorted flatly. Over in the corner, Lelouch and C.C. couldn't take their eyes off of the strange debate between the former school-mates. The oranget shook her head. "You've changed, Lelouch. I'm not sure I know you anymore." She was on the brink of tears, but the icy heart that had grown inside of the younger Lelouch took no notice or pity. "I've grown wiser" he insisted. Present-Lelouch was ready to pounce on his younger self. "She just lost her father!" he growled. "And you dare put her through this?"

"I wish that it wasn't like this, Lelouch!" Tears were now pouring from Shirley's eyes and she made no attempt to hide them. "I just want us to all be together again! To never stop being friends! I..." Here she hesitated, then taking a shaky breath she said "I love you, Lulu."

In the corner, Lelouch fell to his knees. _'She...she still said that after everything that I did? Everything I became?'_ He made no attempt to hide his sobs. His younger self, however, just raised an eyebrow. "I thought I asked you to call me by my proper name. I never want to hear that nick-name again." Present Lelouch rushed at his former self just as he had done to his father in the first memory. He squeezed at his throat, swung his fists and kicked at his former self. He didn't care anymore. It was easier to attack a phantom of his past then to admit his own guilt. C.C. paused the memory and looked on in silence. After her partner had calmed down she allowed the memory to continue.

Shirley's head was hung and she was trembling violently as she finally answered. "So...that's how you truly feel about all of us? About me?" The boy simply said "Yes" like it was the most obvious thing in the world, as if speaking to somebody lesser then himself. She lifted her head again and the loss and grief in her eyes was even worse then it was before. But she forced a smile to her face as she said "I wish you the best of luck, Lelouch. I hope...you find happiness." As she put on her coat and turned to leave she paused at the door. Without turning around she said "If...if you ever need someone to talk to, you can come to any of us. My door is always open...for my friends." That statement seemed to cut out Lelouch's soul. After all that, she still considered him a friend?

After she left, younger-Lelouch simply went back to his work as if nothing happened. And later that day, he got a phone call. A phone call that informed him that his parents were bankrupt and now living on the streets. As he closed the phone, the spectral spectators heard chuckling coming from him. Dark and gleeful it was, and it filled Lelouch with horror. It soon escalated into full-blown maniacal laughter. Laughter at his victory and vengeance, and the suffering that his parents were feeling. Lelouch tried to cover his ears but nothing he could do could block it out. In striving to punish his parents for the wrongs they had done him, he had committed his father's sins.

"Spirit!" he called to C.C. in desperation. "No more! Please show me no more!" "One shadow more" she replied. "NO!" she screamed, but nothing he could do could stop it. The world shifted yet again, and this time he was not among the people gathered at the scene before them. What he saw was the Ashford Academy Student Council gathered together in Shirley's home for a small but warm Christmas dinner. They smiled and laughed just like the good old days, but Lelouch noticed an air of emptiness among those present. As they finally all rose to leave to their respective homes, Milly called for one last toast. "To...old friends" she said. Even her normally bright eyes seemed a bit dull as she said it. The group bowed their heads in solemn silence, then drank to the health of the one who was not present. _'The one who had betrayed them.'_ Lelouch thought bitterly.

As Shirley waved them all good-by, Lelouch noticed that she was getting closer and closer to tears, but she was determined to keep her spirits up in front of her friends. She didn't want to worry them.

When at last the door was closed she was finally free to brake down. She ran to her room as tears streamed down her cheeks. She grabbed a CD from her dresser and put it in to the player. As she sat on her bed, curled up and sobbing, a light piano began to play a mournful tune. Then came the words. Word that Lelouch knew expressed what she could not say herself right now. Words that would be burned into his soul forever. Shirley sat on her bed rocking back and forth as she sang along in a broken voice.

_Couldn't save you from the start _

_Love you so it hurts my soul _

_Can you you forgive me for trying again?_

_Your silence makes me hold my breath _

_Time had passed you by _

Lelouch saw from the CD cover that the artist was 'Within Temptation', but he didn't know the name of the song. As he continued watching, Shirley did something that surprised him. She reached over and pulled out the school photo album and a shoe-box. Inside the box were pictures she had collected over the years...of him. He was surprised. He knew she had a crush on him, but for that long? The song continued as the lonely girl looked at the photos as she sang along.

_Oh, for so long I've tried to shield you from the world_

_Oh, you couldn't face the freedom on your own _

_Here I am left in silence_

_The first words of the chorus crushed Lelouch's heart when he heard them:_

_You gave up the fight _

_You left me behind_

Lelouch wanted to vanish. To be swallowed by the earth. Anything! Anything would be better then watching his friend so hurt by his actions! He figured that this was Shirley's way of blaming him for all that had happened. He didn't blame her. He deserved her hatred.

_All that's done's forgiven_

Lelouch's head snapped up so fast he almost gave himself wip-lash! _'What...what did she say?'_ He dared not hope. Even if it was part of the song there was no way she could mean it! But deep in Shirley's eyes, past all the pain and grief, was something. Something warm. And the song continued as did her singing:

_You'll always be mine_

_I know deep inside_

_All that's done's forgiven_

Lelouch couldn't believe it. Could...could it be possible? Did she really mean it? He tried to tell himself that it could not, but Shirley's eyes told a different story. Lelouch was captivated by the rest of the song as the second verse began.

_I watched the clouds drifting away_

_Still the sun can't warm my face_

_I know it was destined to go wrong_

_You were looking for the great escape_

_To chase your demons away_

_Oh, for so long I've tried to shield you from the world_

_Oh, you couldn't face the freedom on your own _

_And here I am left in silence_

_You gave up the fight _

_You left me behind_

_All that's done's forgiven_

_You'll always be mine_

_I know deep inside_

_All that's done's forgiven_

Then the song swelled with emotion and she threw her head back, tears pouring from her tight shut eyes. The next words tore at Lelouch's core, each one a sharp accusation.

_I've been so lo__st__ since you've gone_

_Why not me before you?_

_Why did fate deceive me?_

_Everything turned out so wrong_

_Why did you leave me in silence?_

Lelouch felt that he couldn't take any more, but he couldn't get any words out. Tears were running down his own face as he finally understood. This was no simple crush that one cried over for one hour and then forgot about the next day. _This_...this was true heart-break. And if this was true heart-break, then she must have truly loved him. Enough to sing a song of forgiveness to the one who had torn her apart. As the last chorus played, Shirley sang out with overwhelming conviction as she stared at the pictures of her beloved.

_You gave up the fight _

_You left me behind_

_All that's done's forgiven _

_You'll always be mine_

_I know deep inside_

_All that's done's forgiven _

A tiny smile appeared on Shirley's face as she whispered "I love you, Lulu. I've forgiven you. I know that hurting people hurt other people in response, so when you're ready...I'll be here. And so will everyone else."

"C.C.!" Lelouch croaked out. "Show me no more!" C.C. looked at him in sadness. "Do you know why I wear a straight-jacket, Lelouch? It's because no one can escape from their past. You can not undo what has been done. Even if you turned your life around, it will not change the fact that you still caused her this pain. Our lives are made not by our circumstances, but by our choices and actions. The only one to blame for your current situation in life...is yourself, Lelouch."

"LEAVE ME!"

Darkness swallowed the two of them for a moment, then Lelouch found himself back in his own room again. C.C. was nowhere to be seen. He was alone. Completely alone in the world.

Feeling emotionally drained from the experiences he had been through, Lelouch fell down onto his bed, completely exhausted. Just as he did though, a small radio on his dresser, that he was sure had not been there before, came to life. If Shirley's song had been expressing her emotions, then Lelouch felt that this one had been somehow chosen to fit his deepest feelings at this moment.

It was 'Back to December'.

Lelouch cried himself to sleep as he thought about all the people he had so foolishly tossed aside. His dear sister, his friends at school, his old boss Kirihara, and...and Shirley. He hoped that the next spirit would be kinder. He also wished that he himself had been kinder.

**I do not own either of the songs used in this chapter. 'Forgiven' is owned by Within Temptation and 'Back to December' is owned by Taylor Swift. I first heard 'Forgiven' in a youtube video: 'Lelouch X Shirley- Forgiven' by kaitokid1024. If you're a Shirlulu fan, check it out.**

**Well, one Time Section is finally done! :D Please rate and review and let me know how I'm doing. And thanks to all of you that reviewed and encouraged me! Till next time! :) **


	7. Ch 6: Present Affairs

**A man in a Zero costume (me) appears: "People of the web! It has been nine months worth of waiting! Finally, after so long, I have returned! (Flourishes cape dramatically) Prepare yourself, world! A Code Geass Christmas Carol is back!"**

**First, I want to express my gratitude to 'cerealkiller49' for politely pointing out some of my spelling mistakes. I have gone back and corrected as many of them as I could in the previous chapters, so re-read them for more accurate spelling. Thanks again, dude/dudet! :)**

**Also, I want to say thanks to everyone who reviewed previously and anyone who's still reading. Reviews keep me going. Well then, let's get started!**

Chapter 6: Present Affairs

Lelouch was suddenly awakened by the sound of the clock striking two. Was it just him or was it louder than before? It had never been that loud on normal days. But then again, normal days don't include your house being haunted by spirits coming around to knock lessons into your head! If that was ever considered a 'normal day' for anyone, then my sympathies go out to that poor soul.

Lelouch, feeling strangely refreshed from his sleep, rose from his bed and drew back the curtains to be ready for the next spirit to come. But while he had mentally prepared himself for anything, he was by no means prepared for nothing. Which is what he got. For ten seconds nothing happened…. Then twenty seconds…. Then thirty….

Just as Lelouch was considering this ghost to be a no-show or a practical joker, a bright light flashed throughout the room. _'If this is how every spirit is going to appear then I had better get myself some shades' _Lelouch thought as he covered his eyes from the blinding light. When he felt that it was safe to open them, the sight that he beheld almost made them pop out!

The walls were so hung with ivy, mistletoe and holly that it looked like the room had been transformed into a living grove! The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, giving off a comforting, cheery warmth that it had not known in many years. It also gave enough light to illuminate what was currently blocking the door-way. A huge mountain of various foods was piled almost to the ceiling. Roast turkeys, warm loaves of bread, steaming rolls, ropes of sausages, and too many more delicacies to mention, with enough sweets to give cavities to an army.

As Lelouch's eyes wandered up the tower of wondrous consumables, his eyes finally alighted on the top. He groaned. For sitting on the top, on a throne of pizza boxes, was the emerald-haired witch herself, C.C.. She was now dressed in a brown cap, black shoes, dark slacks and shirt, and a brown jacket. It kinda looked like she was wearing one of his outfits. Lelouch then noticed that his wardrobe door was open. Wait a minute.… THAT WITCH!

"What are _you_ doing here?" he asked in an annoyed tone. C.C. simply raised a green eye-brow at him. "What ever do you mean? Thought you got rid of me?" she asked. "I thought Clovis said that I would be visited by three spirits tonight" Lelouch answered. "Dose this mean that I'll have three more journeys on top of the last one?" C.C. let out a surprisingly hearty laugh. "Did it ever occur to you that Clovis _himself_ counted as the first spirit?" Lelouch opened his mouth to respond but couldn't find anything to say. He opened and closed it several times before he finally yelled out "Curse you Clovis!" "He already is" C.C. reminded him. This caused Lelouch to flinch.

As Lelouch settled down and excepted his inevitable companion for the next journey, he began to get curious as to what the next journey would be. So, he asked his guide. "So, where will you be taking me this time?" The girl rose from her throne and ascended in a casual manor. "Now, I could be considered 'The Ghost of Christmas Present'." She walked straight up to him and reached out a hand to him, as if wanting him to take it. "We will be observing those who celebrate the season throughout the world." _'As if I would find the lives of __common__ folk interesting'_ Lelouch thought to himself. Then he stopped. He had once _been_ one of those 'common folk', as all his friends had been. Did he really have the right to judge people simply based on their station of wealth? _'No' _he thought_. '__I __don't have the right to pass judgment on those I do not know'_. So outwardly he said "You did wipe your hands after handling all that pizza, right? I really don't want grease on my hand." C.C. simply smiled as he took her (clean) hand and the room about them vanished.

Lelouch found himself standing in the city's streets with what appeared to be the morning sun shining down on him, with people bustling about on their way to their homes or the homes of friends. The buildings, be they homes or office spaces, were boldly decorated for the season. Lelouch noticed once again that everyone he saw bore about them an air of cheer that was hard to resist. He turned to his companion and asked her "So what is this exactly?" She turned to him. "These are the shadows of what will be happening later on today." Lelouch snorted. "First a trip to the Past, now a journey to the Present. What's next, a tour of the future?" C.C. didn't say anything.

They began to walk around, and everywhere they went it had the same aura of peace and joy as the last place. Lelouch saw a group of men shoveling snow from their driveways, talking to one another and every now and then exchanging a few snowballs. They would laugh heartily if it struck true, and laugh no less heartily when it went wrong. The grocers were still half open and radiant in their glory.

They passed a grocery store where Lelouch noticed a quarrel was stirring between a Britannian who had bumped into a Japanese man, causing the latter to drop his load. A group of Japanese were trying to calm down their friend. "Let me at him!" the man who had been bumped demanded. "Calm down, Tamaki!" one of his friends said. The Britannian was trying to apologize, but it seemed that the red-headed fool loved the sound of his own voice too much to notice. "Let me go, Minami! Nagata, why aren't you and Sugiyama helping me out?" He directed his last remark at two men nearby, one with long black hair and the other with sky-blue hair holding a guitar case. A dark-blue-haired woman with the group was getting impatient. "Oh for crying out loud, Tamaki! Is it that hard to except an apology?" The man just glared at her. "Easy for you to say, Inoue. You don't have a man's pride to worry about." She gave him a deadly glare. "No, but I do have a manly punch that _you_ should be worried about."

Before the situation could escalate any farther, C.C. stepped forward, held her hand out towards the group, and a strange buzzing could be heard. Lelouch could also notice that strange red light coming from under the locks on her forehead. The people before them blinked in confusion, as if just waking up from a strange dream, then Tamaki smiled. "What am I doing? It's Christmas Day. It'd be a shame to ruin it by arguing." His friends laughed and agreed with him. Tamaki forgave the Britannian, who in turn helped him pick up his fallen groceries. By the time they all got to the check-out isle, Tamaki was offering to buy the man a drink, an offer that was gratefully excepted. (A.N. I do not promote the consumption of alcohol in any form. I just thought that's what Tamaki would do.)

Lelouch blinked in shock and turned to his companion. "What did you _do_ to them?" C.C. simply gave him a smirk that would have been right at home on Milly's face. "Just spreading a little Christmas cheer." Lelouch realized that he would get no straight answers out of her, and decided to drop the subject.

As they continued throughout the city, Lelouch turned to his guide. "So you're saying that people are celebrating like this all over the world?" She nodded. "Yes. I can show you more examples if you like." Before he could respond, he suddenly found himself and his companion in a large ball room full of people. Lelouch blinked and looked around. _'Judging by the style of the room__'s architecture__ and the design of the cloths on the guests, I assume that we're somewhere in the European Union'_ Lelouch mused.

He was interrupted from his thoughts when he noticed a couple heading down the stairs. One was a young woman with blond hair and eyes that held his own shade of purple. Her bearing was one of confidence. The man escorting her had dark blue hair that was spiked out to the sides except for the long braid running down his back. Both of them were dressed in military dress uniforms. Lelouch recognized them. Leila Malcal and Akito Hyuuga, leader and member, respectively, of the European Union's infamous Wyvern Squad.

The pair was waved over by their associates: a young man, woman and boy, all clearly Japanese. They appeared to be soldiers enjoying their holiday with their commanding officers. Lelouch looked on with interest. Officers who showed this level of closeness with their own troops? Interesting.

His thoughts were cut off as he was whisked away yet again. They were now in an apartment building where a dark-hared man in glasses was holding the hand of a woman with purple hair in what appeared to be a comforting manner. C.C. explained that this was Clovis' half-sister Cornelia and her husband Guilford. Lelouch flinched again. Having, in a way, lost a sibling himself, he knew a bit of what she must have felt. Clovis had died on Christmas Eve, so the holiday would surely produce mixed feelings in the woman before him. He decided to offer his sympathies to her when he had the chance. Comfort about her brother's position in the afterlife however...he could not give. Then the world shifted again.

They went to many places, including the Forbidden City in the Chinese Federation, where Lelouch saw the young Empress Tianzi and her loyal guard Xingke exchanging presents on a balcony. And everywhere they went had a happy outcome. But one place they visited especially stood out in Lelouch's mind. They went to church, and he heard, for the first time, the sacred origins and namesake of the holiday itself. This caused Lelouch to ask a few questions.

"So the origins of Christmas come from 'Christ'?" "Yes" was C.C.'s reply. Lelouch thought about this for a moment, then proceeded to ask more questions. "How is it, then, that Christians have such a bad reputation?" "Do they?" C.C. asked. "They are constantly accused of being accusatory and judgmental." "Are they?" C.C. asked him with a hard stare. "How can Christianity produce such a message of hope and love, yet the ones who follow it use it as a club of condemnation?" "Dose it produce this?" "Forgive me if I am wrong. I has been done in his name, or at-least that of his followers."

C.C. looked him strait in the eyes. "There are some upon this earth of yours, Lelouch, who lay claim to know Christ. And who do their deeds of passion, pride, ill-will, hatred, envy, bigotry, and selfishness in his name; who are as strange to him, and all of those in heaven, as if they had never lived. Remember that, and charge their doings upon themselves, not him." Lelouch promised that he would, and they went on, invisible.

As they continued on from there, observing several families gathering, Lelouch became aware of the desire to observe his cousin Gino's party. He had been invited year after year; he might as well see what he had been missing. He turned to his guide. "C.C., could you send us the house of my cousin Gino? He's been inviting me to his house for years now, and I'd like to see it for myself." C.C.'s mouth turned upwards into a small but knowing smile, and the two vanished.

**So... how was it? Did you guys like the cameos and plot-twist/loop-hole I put in this chapter? Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you guys think. See you guys soon! :)**

**P.S. I do not own 'Akito of the Exiled'. Just so you know.**

* * *

**To my fellow Christians, we've done a very poor job. "This is how they will know you are my disciples, if you love one another." Not 'if you go to church on Sunday'; not 'if you are perfect and let the world know it'; no, 'if you love one another.' **

**Mahatma Gandhi said about Christianity, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." Well guys, it's up to us to change that!**


	8. Ch 7: The Party at Gino's House

Chapter 7: The Party at Gino's house

**Here's another one guys! Hope you enjoy!**

The two spectral observers appeared in a spacious hallway with a large pair of doors in-front of them. Being incorporeal, they simply phased through them into the room beyond. Lelouch asked C.C. why she transported them into the hallway when she could just as easily have teleported into the room itself. C.C. simply stated that phasing was more amusing, and that Lelouch should enjoy it as this and the invisibility were a limited-time-offer, and left it at that.

Lelouch scanned the room about him, which was was decorated and furnished like that of a well-to-do family, and held several guests. They seemed to be a mixture of both Japanese and Britannians. They were all gathered on the couches and seemed to be in an interesting conversation.

A hearty laugh caught Lelouch's attention and he directed his gaze to the source. He was surprised to see a man with turquoise hair and orange eyes that he actually recognized. "Is that… Orange?" C.C. looked at him in confusion. "Who?" Lelouch didn't take his eyes off of the man as he answered. "Jeremiah Gottwald. He was a security guard for my parents back when I was a kid. He would always give me and Euphie a bag of oranges for Christmas." The emerald-hared witch smiled mischievously. "And his nick-name was 'Orange'?" Lelouch got defensive. "It was Euphie's idea!" he insisted. His guide nodded sarcastically. "Right." They then turned back to the conversation at hand.

"If you think Lelouch was always that bad, then you would be wrong" the turquoise hared man said. He appeared to be specifically addressing the man sitting across from him. A tall man with a serious expression on his face, dressed in a military uniform who had obviously seen many tough days in life. A group of three men and one woman wearing similar uniforms were also present. Lelouch recognized them immediately. Kyoshiro Tohdoh and The Four Holy Swords, some of the most dangerous warriors Japan had ever produced.

The military general seemed unmoved. "Not all of us have had the advantage of knowing that man in his youth, Jeremiah. We can only go on what we ourselves have seen." Another man spoke up. "And, well… no offense Jeremiah, but between you jobs at the church (A.N. Remember chapter 1?) and your orange plantation, you haven't really had time to see the man as he is nowadays."

The speaker was a well dressed man with curly black hair accompanied by a beautiful tan woman with golden eyes and silver hair. Lelouch did a double take. Was that the prime minister of japan, Kaname Ohgi?! If so, then the woman accompanying him must be his wife Villetta. Lelouch knew that Gino had some connections, but _seriously? _To have Japan's prime minister and several of its heroes at his Christmas party?!

A monotone voice came up from a young girl with pink hair who was holding a small phone-like camera. "It makes little difference to me." Two older girls sat on either side of her, one with light green hair and blue eyes and the other with blond hair and blue eyes. These three were Gino's old class-mates: Anya Alstreim, Nonette Enneagram, and Monica Kruszewski.

"Well," Jeremiah continued, "he did have his sister with him when he was younger, and she seemed to bring out the best in him." He looked away sadly. "She was the most gentle creature that I have ever known, but all trace of her was lost when her family declared bankruptcy. Who knows where she is now." Lelouch felt another pang of guilt, then his eyes widened. _'Euphie is missing? Is she alright?'_ C.C. noticed his expression and simply said nothing. This could count as a continuation of his last lesson.

Just then a voice could be heard from the doorway. "Yeah. He actually was a nice guy at one point. At least, until he rearranged his priorities." Lelouch turned to the voice and the person standing there caused him to go wide-eyed! For entering the room was none-other then his old class-mate, Rivalz! _'What is he doing here?!'_ Lelouch thought. His confusion was only intensified when his old friend was joined in the doorway by Milly Ashford! Lelouch felt a headache coming on.

"Good to hear it" Jeremiah replied. "I wonder what our hosts think about him" Tohdoh wondered out loud. "Speak of the handsome devil and he shall appear!" replied a jovial voice followed by a woman's laugh. Everyone, including the two observers, turned to the new voice. There stood Gino Weinberg, dressed quite fashionably and escorting…. Lelouch's eyes nearly blasted out of his skull! "Is that...Kallen?!" he exclaimed. C.C. giggled at his response and captured his expression with a small camera she pulled from her pocket.

Yes, standing next to his cousin was undoubtedly his old fellow Student Counsel Member, Kallen Stadtfeld. But she seemed completely different from the Kallen he knew from school. There was no hint of sickness or fatigue anywhere about her. Her eyes seemed to burn with a fierce and determined light. And her hair was spiked out to the sides instead of hanging down to her shoulders. All in all, her appearance and demeanor had done a complete 180 from when Lelouch had last seen her.

As Lelouch recovered his scenes, the conversation turned back to the topic of the local money-lender.

"Well Gino, what did our stubborn old class-mate say about joining us this evening?" Milly inquired. Gino broke into a fit of laughter that lasted for a few moments, till he composed himself enough to answer. "He… hehe… he said that Christmas was a 'Humbug'!" This sent another burst of laughter through him that was quickly taken up by those around him.

It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good-humor. (A.N. Another quote for the original book.)

Milly was wiping tears of laughter form her eyes as she replied. "Seriously? No one's used that expression for over a hundred years!" Kallen laughed as well. "Well, he was always a dramatic one. But he could have turned out better, if he had made better choices" the red head added. "Though he's probably very rich by now." "So what, dear?" Gino said. Lelouch's eyes grew quite large at this term of endearment, and noticing a wedding ring on Kallen's finger, felt his jaw go slack in realization. Gino...had married...Kallen!

"He doesn't _do_ anything with it, so what's the point in having it?" his cousin continued. "Judging by how thin he was when I saw him yesterday, I'm not even sure he's eating properly!" Rivalz smiled. "That's Lelouch for ya'. Great with the mental stuff, terrible with any physical activity." Lelouch forgot that the present company could not hear him and protested quite loudly to this remark.

"It seems like he's the one who suffers most from his ill-will" Asahina, the glasses wearing member of the Four Holy Swords commented. Gino nodded. "He makes the decision to dislike us without even meeting us. And what are the consequences? He misses out on a wonderful dinner!"

He turned to Milly and thanked her again for the meal, which was heartily followed by similar praise from the others present. Lelouch then remembered that Gino had mentioned that a friend of his was cooking for them this year, and realized that the person was Milly. Lelouch knew she was a good choice. She had always enjoyed schooling them in the culinary arts back in their academy days.

Gino continued. "And worse still, he loses some good company and a good time, which he could really use more of by the looks of it. I'm going to give him the same invitation each year till he gives in. It's not like he can think any worse of the holiday anyways."

Kallen smirked. "I hope you succeed one of these days. I can't wait to see his expression when he finds out just who your wife is!" Rivalz shook his head. "I still can't believe that you fooled us for so long. I mean, come on! The fact that you were actually not only half Japanese, but also the 'Red Lotus' of the Kozuki rebellion? And we never guessed!" Kallen smiled. "Well my brother Naoto wanted me to stay in school. But I somehow managed to pull off leading a double life."

Lelouch felt his head spinning from this new information. Kallen, the sickly weak girl he knew from school, had secretly been not only a half-breed but also one of the aces of the rebellion that drove the forces of the Britannian tyrant Vincent Vladimir zi Britannia (Oh come on! That's the best I could come up with for V.V.!) out of Japan, thus sparking a rebellion in Britannia that ended with a much gentler royal on the throne. (A.N. This is the most A.U. I will grt. I had to have a reason for Kallen to still hide her Kozuki persona.) _'That would explain why Gino has all these important people at his house.'_ Lelouch thought to himself.

Afterwords, the party broke into several Christmas Carols, accompanied by some piano music provided by Jeremiah, who Lelouch remembered had been quite good at it in the past, and found him to be quite exceptional with the instrument in the present as well. The music brought back memories of similar Christmases with Euphie and at Ashford, and he thought to himself that, had he held onto the spirit of the holiday longer, he could have created a better life for himself on his own, instead of having to resort to the ghostly visits provided by Clovis' intervention.

After the music the party turned to the games, and they were so merry in their revelry that Lelouch, swept up in the moment, began to participate along side them! First they had a game of Blind-man's Bluff, and there must have been some scheme at work, for Rivalz, while supposedly blind, just 'happened' to always seem to know where Milly was. Said woman was declaring that it wasn't fair, but she was laughing as she said it, showing that she was in-fact enjoying the spectacle. Lelouch, knowing of his old partner's crush on the blond, was cheering him on while admiring his daring. He suspected Gino had put him up to this, and maybe Kallen was in on it to. When at-last the blue hared Student Council member had caught his former President, there was a hearty round of laughter from the participants, while the stoic Tohdoh cracked a smile and Anya captured the moment on her camera, muttering "Recorded" as she did so.

Then the game turned to "Yes and No", where Gino had to think of something and the others had to figure out what it was by asking 'yes or no' questions. Lelouch again found himself taking part along with them despite his inability to be heard, while C.C. watched both the party and the money-lender with a smile on her face.

They determined that the thing Gino was thinking of was an animal. A live animal. A rather disagreeable savage animal that growled quite often. Urabe, one of the members of The Four Holy Swords, guessed "A cruel demented vicious animal?" and Gino, trying to stifle his laughter said 'Yes'. Then Nonette asked "A cruel demented vicious animal that can not be killed?" This response, coupled with a spot-on imitation of Captain Jack Sparrow, sent Gino laughing so hard that he nearly fell out of his chair. The answer to that question turned out to be 'No'.

Finally, Kallen began laughing to herself as apparent realization came over her. "I have it! It's...it's…!" Everyone looked at her expectantly as she tried to calm down enough to give her answer. "It's… Lelouch Lamperouge!" The answer to that guess was 'Yes'. After the answer was given everyone burst out laughing, while a certain invisible observer felt a stinging blow to his emotions. Was he really that unpleasant? But Gino's smile held no anger or ill-will in it.

"He's given us so much fun this evening I think he deserves a toast." He raised his glass and those around him followed suit. "To my cousin, Lelouch Lamperouge! A Merry Christmas and a happy new year to him wherever he is. He may not want it form me, but he'll still have it." The party about him followed up this speech with a "To Lelouch Lamperouge" of their own.

Lelouch lifted a hand to his chin in a thoughtful expression. Not only had he seen what the general populace thought of him, but he had once again seen how much fun he had been missing these past few years. Lelouch had much to think about as C.C. placed a hand on his shoulder and they faded from the scene yet again.

**Well, what'd you think? How'd you like it? Is anyone still reading this? Please feel free to leave a comment and review! Thanks for everything guys! Merry Christmas (season)! :)**


	9. Ch 8: A Kururugi Christmas

Chapter 8: A Kururugi Christmas

**Well guys, here's another chapter. I really hope you like it. I worked pretty hard on it. :)**

Lelouch blinked in confusion. Where were they now? They appeared to be standing in the poor section of Tokyo, in front of a small, sparsely decorated house. Turning to C.C. he asked the witch "What is this place?" C.C. smiled. "It belongs to a certain over-worked under-paid clerk of yours." Lelouch looked back at the house with new interest. _'So, this is where he lives.'_

Just then, the clerk in question emerged around the street corner with a bag of groceries in his arms. He entered the house and the invisible pair followed him. "Hey everyone! I'm- OUCH! Seriously Arthur!?" Lelouch looked for the source of his clerk's discomfort and found it: a gray cat with black paws and a black patch of fur over his right eye had its teeth embedded in Suzaku's ankle.

A kind voice came around the corner. "Well well. It's about time you got back." The person who entered the entry hall shocked Lelouch to his core! For standing there was a beautiful young woman in a dress with a simple white top and long orange skirt, with familiar pink hair and an even more familiar gentle smile on her face. Suzaku smiled back, despite the pain in his ankle. "Good to be back, Euphie." The two shared a quick kiss and Lelouch seriously doubted this was a dream. Because in dreams, you can't faint.

When he came to, he saw that C.C. had been kind enough to pause the shadow they were observing so he wouldn't miss anything. Lelouch slowly got up from the floor and stood open-mouthed at the sight of his long-lost sister greeting his clerk in such a familiar fashion. He turned to C.C. after a moment, and asked the most obvious question. "How…?" His guide simply smirked. "You'll find out soon enough."

By then Euphie had picked up Arthur and a soft voice came form the living room. "Hello Suzaku. Welcome home." Lelouch stopped in surprise as he took in the sight of the room. It was poorly furnished, the Christmas Tree could have passed for a 'Christmas Branch', and the decorations were made entirely from paper.

There was a woman with short dark brown hair and brown eyes in what appeared to be a maid's uniform sitting at a small table. She gave Suzaku a formal greeting, but she was not the one who drew Lelouch's gaze. Sitting across from the maid was a young girl of about fifteen years with long sandy brown hair. She was sitting in a wheel chair and her eyes were closed, probably signifying blindness. But the smile that graced her face was one of pure contentment and happiness. Lelouch was captivated by the sight. A girl who could not walk or see, but could still smile through it all?

His musings were interrupted by Suzaku's voice. "Hello Nunnally. I see you and Sayoko started on the ornaments already." It was this remark that caused Lelouch to notice that the table between the two ladies was covered with origami cranes. Nunnally was folding them while the maid, Sayoko, was putting them on paperclip hooks in order to hang them on the tree.

Just then they were joined by two others: a tall, lanky young man of about seventeen who appeared to be Japanese-Britannian with blue eyes and silver hair, and a girl of fifteen with blond hair and red eyes. Euphie smiled at them. "Oh, Rai, Alice, would you please take these groceries to the kitchen for us." The two eagerly obeyed, taking peeks at the contents of the bags and chuckling in anticipation.

"Now," Suzaku said while looking around, "where is that cousin on mine?" Nunnally's face became downcast, a horrible contrast to her first expression, making Lelouch want to do something to return the corners of her mouth to their proper locations. "I'm afraid Kaguya's not coming this year." Suzaku frowned. "Not coming? On Christmas Day? That's awful!" Just then he was tackled from behind as a pair of arms wrapped around his waist. "Just kidding!" a very excited voice exclaimed. Suzaku regained his balance just in time to prevent them from falling. He turned to the young girl who had ambushed him. She was a short girl about fourteen years old with black hair, green eyes, and a beaming smile on her face. "Well thank goodness" Suzaku said. "I was starting to worry that we might actually get a quiet meal for once." Kaguya pouted at this remark, while soft laughter could be heard from the others in the room. Lelouch and C.C. also found themselves joining in at the spectacle.

At Euphie's insistence, Suzaku took a seat by the fire with Nunnally. The blind girl turned her head in his direction. "So how was your trip to the store?" He smiled. "It went very well, actually. Tamaki got into a fight over some spilled milk, literally, but he managed to calm down. I guess Christmas really can work miracles." Nunnally laughed at this statement. It seemed that 'Tamaki the troublemaker' has struck again. Then Nunnally smiled at Suzaku and said "Do you know what Sayoko told me today? She said that according to Japanese legend if you fold a thousand of these cranes, your wish will come true." Euphie asked her what wish she had, causing the girl to think for a moment before a bright smile crossed her face. "I wish the world were a gentler place. Besides that, I already have everything I could want."

Just then there was a knock on the door. Everyone turned towards it expectantly as Sayoko went to open it. A cheerful voice rang through the house. "Thank you, Sayoko. Hello everyone! Merry Christmas!" Lelouch's eyes widened in surprise. For entering the house was another familiar woman: none other than Shirley Fenette! She was just removing her coat, causing Lelouch to see the simple yet beautiful green dress she wore underneath it. Although, the dress wasn't the only thing beautiful about her. What struck Lelouch the most about her was that her eyes seemed alive again. And that made him glad. C.C. smirked at him. "Oh ho. You seem happy to see her." Lelouch tried to play innocent. "The last time I saw her was...", he couldn't finish that sentience. It was still too painful. "So," he continued, "of course I'm glad to see her doing alright again." The witch nodded in understanding.

Euphie got up from her chair and embraced the orange-haired girl in warm, sisterly hug. "Sorry I'm late, Euphie. I had a bit more work than I expected today." The pinket just waved the comment off. "As long as your here, don't worry about it." Shirley was then tackled by the ever-energetic Kaguya Sumeragi, who referred to the older woman as 'aunt Shirley'. It seemed that Shirley had some past history with this family.

Nunnally smiled as she felt a hand on hers. "Hey Shirley. Glad you could make it." Shirley's face brightened. "Hey Nunna. Merry Christmas. Wow! Your cranes just keep getting better each year!" The younger girl was about to respond when she was suddenly overcome by a fit of coughing. Lelouch's looked on in concern as she pulled out a handkerchief to cover her mouth. To Lelouch's horror, when she drew it away from her mouth, he could see blood stains on it. Shirley quietly asked if she was okay. The girl turned to her as said she was fine, responding with that same gentle smile that had adorned her face when Lelouch had first seen her. He quickly deduced that being blind and crippled were not the only things she was afflicted with, but it only added to the wonder he had that she was able to smile through it. (A.N. Kind of AU, but not totally. I just gave her Xingke's disease.)

Euphie then asked Shirley if she wouldn't mind giving her a hand in the kitchen, which the oranget accepted with her usual eagerness. Lelouch blinked in surprise. _'Shirley...in the kitchen?'_ She had never been all that good in Milly's cooking classes, being somewhat clumsy in the kitchen. But, on the other hand, maybe she had improved over the past four years.

As the two women rolled up their sleeves and began to prepare the food, Shirley asked Euphie about how they were all doing. Euphie sighed. "Rai still hasn't remembered anything about his past, but it doesn't seem to bother him that much. And Alice is still always looking out for Nunnally." Shirley laughed a bit at this. "It's almost as it she's Nunna's personal knight or something." Euphie laughed as well. "Well, that could be one way to describe it" she agreed.

As Shirley began slicing vegetables, she asked "So how's Nunna behaving?" Euphie smiled. "As good as gold, and better! Somehow she gets thoughtful sitting by herself so much. She told me when we were coming home from church that she hoped that people saw her, because she was crippled and blind. And it might be pleasant for them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk and blind men see." Her voice trembled in emotion as she said this, and Shirley looked at her friend in concern. Euphie gave a small smile and told her not to worry about her.

Lelouch's sister then asked how Shirley's mother was doing, which caused Lelouch to listen even more intensely. She said that she was doing much better now that they had managed to find a more affordable apartment. Euphie asked worriedly if it was okay to be spending Christmas with them instead of with her mother, but Shirley just explained that her mother was happy that she had found such good friends.

Euphie looked down for a moment then asked "Have you heard anything from...my brother?" Lelouch felt his heart clench in guilt again. Was he such a touchy subject that she had a hard time even saying his name? _'Well'_ he thought, _it's not like I deserve anything else from them.'_ Shirley answered with a quiet 'no'. It was clear to Lelouch that they still felt the pain of his actions, his selfishness...his betrayal. But Shirley managed to put a smile on her face. "Well, maybe one day he'll come around. It must be very lonely for him." Euphie smiled back. "Maybe, someday, he'll be able to see the reason behind Nunnally's smile." Shirley looked confused, a sentiment that the spectral observer shared, and Euphie explained. "Ever since she lost the use of her legs and eyes, she's known that there are thing in life she would never be able to do. So her smile...is her way of showing gratitude for the things she still has." Lelouch turned to look at the girl in question with awe. "A remarkable child" he said softly. C.C. simply nodded in agreement.

Then Alice and Rai came to help in the kitchen, while Kaguya and Sayoko spread the table cloth upon the small dinner table. Suzaku meanwhile sat with Nunnally as they chatted away. While they watched, Lelouch asked C.C. "How has my sister come to have these children under her care? They are obviously not related by birth, but they treat her like a mother." C.C. looked at the children in sympathy. "They're survivors from the war. During the fighting many children, both Japanese and Britannian, were left homeless, struggling to survive on their own. Your sister and clerk found these poor souls and gave them a place to live. Eventually they grew into a family."

She looked at each member and explained their situations. "The boy, Rai, had completely lost his memories and even now he can't recall his past before the war. Alice watched her parents and sister die, which is why she's so protective of Nunnally. Kaguya had nowhere else to go, so her cousin took her in. Sayoko serves them out of gratitude for saving her life when they gave her shelter and food. And Nunnally, her wounds left her crippled but the trauma left her blinded. Her weakened state left her susceptible to the disease that plagues her now." She smiled. "They also rescued that cat too." Lelouch nodded thoughtfully, then asked another question that had been bugging him for a while now. "How on earth did my sister and clerk ever meet?" C.C. shook her head. "Not telling." Lelouch gritted his teeth in frustration. "You know," the green-hared witch said, "you could just ask her yourself when this is over." Lelouch swallowed at the concept.

At last the meal was ready, and those assembled gathered at the table. The main attraction of the meal was a whole roasted chicken in place of the traditional turkey. This was accompanied by apple-sauce, mashed potatoes with a bit of gravy to go with it, and warm home-made rolls. A hearty apatite awaited the meager but very much appreciated feast. Afterwords, Euphemia brought out a traditional plumb pudding, which they had for desert.

Then they all went into the living room, where the fire had been made up by Sayoko, while Euphie took orders for the hot chocolate they would be having. Lelouch smiled. It seemed that she had kept the 'Christmas Coco' tradition alive all this time. Shirley, Rai and Alice wanted marshmallows while Euphie, Kaguya and Nunnally wanted wiped cream, and Suzaku and Sayoko just wanted theirs plane. Soon enough, the group was gathered around the fireplace with their mugs in hand and smiles on their faces.

As they talked, Lelouch noticed how Suzaku's hand never left Nunnally's, as if he was afraid that something would take her away.

He turned to his guide. "C.C., tell me if Nunnally will live." The immortal woman's gaze and tone were solemn as she answered. "I see a vacant wheelchair by the chimney corner, and a single origami crane carefully preserved resting upon it. If these shadows remain unaltered by the future, the child will die." Lelouch's face grew pail. "No, no! Oh no, spirit! Say she will be spared!" Her gaze did not soften. "If these shadows remain unaltered by the future, no other ghost of Christmas Present shall find her here." Lelouch begged her again to reassure him that it would not be so. She turned to him. "What of it? If she is likely to die she had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."

Lelouch hung his head in shame as she turned his own words against him. He was startled when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at C.C. as her gaze softened. "Man, if you are a man in heart, forget those words until you have discovered _what_ the surplus is and _where_ it is. It may be, in the sight of heaven, that _you_ are more worthless and less fit to live than millions like this poor man's child." Lelouch hung his head again.

He brought it back up again, however, when her heard his name spoken. "Lelouch Lamperouge!" He looked up to see Euphie holding her mug high. "To my poor, misguided brother, Lelouch Lamperouge, the founder of the feast!" Suzaku snorted. "Founder of the feast indeed. If I had him here I'd give him a piece of my mind to feast on with a taste of my fist for desert, too." "Dear," Euphie said in a mild tone, "the children; Christmas Day." Suzaku still looked sullen, recalling, no doubt, the words C.C. had repeated to their orator. "I'll drink his health for your sake and the Day's. Not for his. A Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to the wicked old-." "Dear" Euphie admonished gently. Suzaku sighed in defeat. "To Lelouch Lamperouge" he muttered. The family and guest drank the toast without any cheer. Lelouch, it seemed, was a sore subject with them.

Then a small smile tugged at the corners of Suzaku's mouth. "I do often wonder...what he was like before he became what he is today. You and Shirley seem to have had some more pleasant memories of him then I do." His smile widened. "And probably a few good stories to tell." Lelouch started to get nervous, but he was comforted that the question was not being asked in the presence of Milly Ashford. _That_ would be a recipe for disaster, a dish that the Ashford girl was very good at preparing.

Fortunately, Kaguya spoke up at this point. "Speaking of stories, could you tell us the one of how you two first met?" Suzaku and Euphie laughed. "You've already heard that one a hundred times!" Suzaku stated with a smile at his incorrigible cousin. "Why hear it again?" Kaguya simply gave him a 'cute-girl-face' attack, something few people could ever resist. "Because I like it" she responded cheerfully.

Suzaku laughed again as he launched into the narrative. Everyone leaned closer in order to catch every word, but none were listening more intently than a certain purple-eyed specter. "Yes, please. Do tell us" he said. Suzaku cleared his throat and began. "Well, it all started four years ago. I was just walking down the street after being rejected by the military when all of the sudden an angel fell right into my arms." Euphie giggled at the comment as she took up her side of the tale. "I was trying to get away from my parents. They were constantly trying to make me into a 'proper lady' so they could merry me off to some rich stranger." Lelouch let out a growl as he heard these words.

"So, I took every opportunity I could to get away for some time to just be me." She started laughing. "I even climbed out of second-story windows in full view of the street without looking. That's how desperate I got." Suzaku grinned. "So she makes up some excuse that bad people were chasing her and asked me if I could accompany her. So, I became her chaperone for the day." Lelouch would have scolded his sister for being too trusting of strangers, not to mention jumping out of tall buildings, but he figured that it had turned out okay in the end. _'She was always rather impulsive'_ he remembered.

"And then, we stumbled across a poor kitty with a wounded paw" Euphie continued. Suzaku winced. "And when I tried to pet him, he gave me a 'wounded paw' of my own." Lelouch realized that they were talking about their cat, Arthur. "We hit it off immediately, and the rest is history" Suzaku finished. Shirley and the other girls sighed at the tale, while Rai and Sayoko simply smiled. Rai then mentioned that he had found a job that, if obtained, could help them bring in some extra money, and that he was already considering it. This caused Suzaku to smile proudly at his surrogate son. Shirley took this opportunity to raise her mug of coco. "A Merry Christmas to us all! God bless us!" The toast was echoed by all those assembled as they clinked their mugs together. "God bless us everyone." said Nunnally the last of all.

Lelouch looked at the family. They were not a very remarkable bunch to look at; they were not well dressed; the clothes they had on were threadbare; and Rai might have known, and most likely did know, the inside of a pawn shop. But they were happy, contented with one another, and grateful. He had everything on earth that they did not have, and yet at the same time they had everything he did not have. There could not have been more drastic opposites of himself anywhere on earth. And as they faded, Lelouch kept his eyes on them, and especially on Nunnally, Shirley, and Euphie, until the last.

**Well...how was it? Please feel free to drop in a review and let me know. I always wanted Euphie and Shirley to meet and become friends. Disclaimer: I do not own the game 'Code Geass: Lost Colors' or the manga 'Nightmare of Nunnally', or any of the characters that I have used from them. Meaning Rai and Alice respectively.**

**I have to thank Deamon's Anarchy of Pride for introducing me to Rai and Alice. If you haven't already, check out his story 'Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R-eset'. As allways, till next time and Merry Christmas! :D**


	10. Ch 9: Farewell and a Contract

Chapter 9: Farewell and a Contract

**This may be short, but I thought it would be a nice touch. Hope you enjoy.**

Lelouch saw that they were now standing in the what appeared to be the ghetto. As he looked around, he was struck by the sight and smell of the poverty around him. Groups of poorly clothed men and women gathered around small fires while children huddled in clumps for warmth. Those lucky enough to find an apartment had to worry about lice and other pests. All in all, it was a horrible sight.

"Not everyone was lucky after the war, and have been struggling ever sense." C.C. commented solemnly. "Your sister did those children quite a favor." A small smile graced her lips. "But even here, the cheer of Christmas is felt." Lelouch looked around in pity. "Have they no refuge? No resource?" "Are there no prisons? Are there no ghettos?" He winced as, once again, his words were used against him.

C.C. turned to him. "Our ways must part soon. My time is at an end." Lelouch frowned at this, a fact that did not go unnoticed by the immortal woman. "Sad to see me go, are we?" she asked playfully. Lelouch just smirked. "On the contrary. I'm just glad that I wont have to worry about getting grease on myself again." His guide laughed at this remark.

"So," Lelouch asked, "I assume that the next spirit will be 'The Ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Come', in other words The Future?" C.C. nodded. Lelouch felt a bit uneasy at this prospect.

Then he looked up to his guide and his gaze turned serious. "C.C., I want to thank you for everything you've shown me. I promise that I will not forget nor block out the lessons you have taught me." She laughed. "What is this? A promise before the lessons are even over?" "It's a..." Lelouch struggled to find the right word for a moment, then smiled. "It's a contract. A promise between a mortal and an immortal. One I intend to carry out." C.C. gave him a truly genuine smile as Lelouch held out his hand toward her. She reached her own hand out and took his. "Very well. I accept your contract. If you brake it, I may just steal your credit card and spend all your money on pizza." Lelouch gave her a nervous laugh. "You're kidding, right?" She just gave him one last smirk. As they shook hands, a clock on a nearby church steeple struck twelve midnight, and the green-hared witch faded away.

As Lelouch looked around, he noticed that a fog has sprung up suddenly and that he could no longer hear any sounds from the environment around him. He swallowed. _'It seems that this 'Ghost of Christmas Future' has a thing for the dramatic! Well, at least we have one thing in common.' _As he looked about him for the expected apparition, his attention was caught by the sound of approaching foot steps. He turned in the direction of the noise, and with every step he became more and more nervous. At last, appearing through the fog, was a dark phantom who's presence was well fitting for the domain of time it represented.

**I bet you guys know who this next ghost is going to be! Please stay tuned for the the next chapter. As always please feel free to leave a review and let me know what you think. When no one reviews, I get paranoid about if I did a good job or not. I'm not trying to force you to review or anything, it would just let me know how I'm doing so far. This is for you guys as much as it is for me.**

**See you guys next time! Merry Thanksgiving! :)**


	11. Ch 10: A Grim Future

Chapter 10: A Grim Future

**Before I say anything else, I want to express my deepest thanks to cerealkiller49 for his help on being my first beta-reader! He/she has really helped me out with my spelling, a subject I struggle with immensely. Thanks a ton! :) Now, on with the show...**

Lelouch looked at the ghost and saw that it was not what he had expected. He had envisioned something akin to The Grim Reaper, but once again his expectations were disappointed.

The figure was tall and slim, with a long black cloak with gold trim and a high collar wrapped tightly about its frame. It threw out an arm with a flourish, revealing beneath the midnight garment an elaborate purple suit with gold trim, black gloves on its hands and a white cravat at its throat. But the thing that caught Lelouch's attention the most was the helmet-like mask that obscured the spirit's features. It was blacker then a starless night, with five prongs protruding from it and a strange bird-like sigil in gold at the chin. Where the phantom's face should have been was a single orb of purple-blue one-way glass, only further enshrouding it in mystery.

The aura coming from it was one of mystery and power. At once, it was everything and nothing, holding the power to create a dynasty or bring you to ruin, depending on your own actions. It was like... a zero.

Lelouch swallowed again. "Am I in the presence," he asked hesitantly, "of the Ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Come?" The figure, 'Zero', nodded solemnly, never speaking. Lelouch found himself trembling in the spirit's presence. "You are about to show me shadows of the things that have not happened, but will happen?" Again the phantom nodded. "Ghost of the Future, I fear you more than any specter I have yet met. But I know that your purpose here is to do me good. I am prepared to follow and to learn with a thankful heart." The ghost before him remained silent.

Will...will you not speak to me?" Lelouch asked. The figure simply reached out a hand and placed it on Lelouch's shoulder while the other hand pointed away. Lelouch then realized that this was a quality of the domain of time it represented.

'The future does not speak plainly. It only points the way'. (A.N. That was a quote from my brother who said I could use it.)

"Oh yes, I understand.

'The night is waning fast'.

Lead on spirit." And lead on it did.

As they walked forward through the fog, which had become stiflingly thick, Lelouch thought he could see the outlines of the city's buildings appearing on either side of them. Then the mist fled from them, revealing the sight of one of the banks Lelouch was well familiar with. From what he could see, there was nothing extraordinary going on. He turned to the specter for an explanation, and it merely pointed to a small group of men chatting in a corner. As they moved closer, they heard what they were discussing.

"Well, I don't know much about it either way" said a man that Lelouch recognized as the reporter, Diethard Ried. "All I know is that he's dead."

"When did he die?" asked a man with light brown hair named Kewell Soresi.

""Last night, I believe" Diethard replied.

"I wonder what he died from" said the third man, a handsome individual named Schneizel. "I thought he'd never die."

""Someone poisoned him, I believe" was Diethard's reply.

"Someone got fed up with the poor fellow, it would seem." Schneizel gave a bitter laugh. "You reap what you sow, as they say."

"What's he done with his money?" Kewell asked. Diethard just shrugged. "I don't know. Probably left it to his company. I just know he didn't leave it to me."

"Well it's likely to be a very cheap funeral" Schneizel said. "Upon my life, I don't know a single soul who'd go to it." The group nodded.

"I suppose we could make up a party and volunteer" Kewell suggested.

Diethard smiled. "I wouldn't mind going...if lunch is provided." This was received with general laughter.

Schneizel looked thoughtful. "Well thinking back on it, I may have been the closest thing he ever had to a friend. We used to stop and speak whenever we met. But I agree with you Diethard. I'll have to be fed to make it worth my while." Diethard smiled again. "Speaking of lunch, I'm off to mine. Good-bye." And with that, the group dispersed.

Lelouch knew the men from his business interactions, but was confused about who they could be talking about. They seemed to care little for the passing of this mysterious individual. Lelouch almost thought that they were talking about Clovis before he remembered that that was impossible. That was in the past, this ghost represented the future. However, he resolved to hold on to the words that he had heard, knowing that they would lend themselves to some moral for his benefit. The phantom stood silently beside him, and Lelouch could feel its unseen eyes gazing intently at him. Hardly a comforting thought.

Raising a hand again, Zero led Lelouch to a section of Tokyo that was far from what you would call a 'good neighborhood'. It appeared to be the absolute worst the ghettos had to offer. Diseased, ragged, horrible houses that could barely keep the cold out were crammed into narrow alleys. At the back of one such alley was the foulest excuse of a pawn shop that anyone could ever imagine. And to Lelouch's distaste, this house was their destination.

Inside was a tall young man with a white coat, snow-white hair and a purple visor covering his eyes that was held in place by a pair of purple headphones. Scarcely had Lelouch and the phantom entered when three others slunk into the shop. The new arrivals, two Japanese men and one Britannian woman, stared at one another with surprise at their all arriving at the same time. The man at the counter just laughed. "Well, well. Isn't this a treat! Three old friend of mine showing up at the same time. Come in! You know you're always welcome!"

"Cut the chatter, Mao" one of the men said with a huff. "I don't like the looks of this Britannian woman."

His fellow companion, a man with black hair and a large forehead sighed. "You don't like the looks of any Britannian, Kusakabe." The other man sneered.

"Quiet, Sawasaki" he retorted. The woman, who Lelouch recognized as his cleaning lady Alicia Lohmeyer, looked like she had similar feelings about the Japanese. (A.N. She's Nunnally's adviser in R 2.)

Before the situation could escalate any farther, Mao simply laughed and held up his hands. "Now, now. Let's not get hasty here. We should try learning from the example of our poor dead 'friend' and try to follow his only redeeming quality."

"What quality could that man have that could possibly be redeeming?!" Kusakabe asked. Mao just gave off a devilish smirk as he answered. "He was no racist. Far from it in fact. He hated everyone equally!" He followed this statement up with an insane cackle of laughter, causing Lelouch to doubt the sanity of the speaker.

"Well," the cleaning lady said, "the fact that we're all here is proof enough of that."

Mao grinned. "Well said. Now, who's to be first? Don't be shy. That dead man isn't going to miss them, after all."

Sawasaki went first, producing his spoils: a pencil-case, a wrist watch, and a broach. Mao examined and appraised the loot, then paid him what it was worth, which wasn't much. Kusakabe went next and produced sheets, a few towels, and two old-fashioned silver tea spoons. His account was dully paid as well. Then Alicia's turn came. She dropped a large cloth bundle upon the counter, and after Mao had undone the many knots that secured it, he gave her a surprised glance.

"What's this? Bed-curtains?!" The woman nodded. "You don't mean to say," Mao continued, "that you took them down, rings and all, with his corpse lying less than a yard away?" His face then contorted into a fiendish grin. "You'll certainly be making your fortune today."

"That's not all that's in there" Alicia interjected. This caused Mao to take a closer look at the contents.

"His blankets too? Hope he didn't die of anything infectious, eh?"

Kusakabe snorted. "As if he would ever get close enough to another human to get something like that in the first place." This was followed by general laughter from the others.

Mao then inspected a very fine shirt that was the last item in the pile. "You can look at that shirt till the end of next year and you won't find a hole or threadbare place on it" Alicia bragged.

Mao grinned. "You saved this shirt from being wasted, I dare say." The others asked what he meant by 'wasting it'. "They'd have buried him in it!" Mao laughed. He then paid the woman what she was due.

"Well, this is the end of it!" he cheered, laughing and clapping his hands like the lunatic he was. "He frightened all humanity away from him in life, only to profit us by his death!" The others present joined in his insane laughter eagerly, causing Lelouch to look on in pure disgust.

He then turned to the specter beside him and asked "Is there no one that feels emotion for this man's death?" The black fog covered them instantly, and then dispersed to reveal a new scene. They appeared to be in a small apartment with a young Britannian woman sitting by the fireplace and gazing intently at the door. Soon enough a young man walked in and she immediately rushed to him.

"Is it good news, or bad?" she inquired of her husband.

"Bad I'm afraid" he replied.

The woman's face was downcast. "We are ruined, then?" she asked.

The man shook his head. "No. There is still hope."

She gave him a humorless laugh. "If he relents, there is. But it's more likely that pigs will fly then for that to happen."

"He is past relenting," the husband said. "He is dead."

The woman uttered a 'Thank God' before she could stop herself. Though she repented afterwards, none could doubt which her true feelings were.

"Tell me everything" she implored while she led him to his chair.

The man took his seat. "I went to see him, so that I could ask for a week's delay on the repayment of our loan, but the drunken cleaning-woman wouldn't let me in and said that he was ill. I thought it was just an excuse not to see me, but it turned out that he was not just ill but dying that very moment!"

His wife frowned. "To whom will our debt be transferred, then?" "I don't know, but this gives us the time we need to get the money. There's no way his successor could be as bad as he was." The husband stood up and embraced his wife. "We can sleep with light hearts, tonight."

"Lelouch was silent. Pleasure. The only emotion the spirit could show him over the mysterious man's death was pleasure. Then Zero placed a hand on his shoulder as the fog enveloped them yet again.

**Again, I want to thank my bata-reader for his help! Hope you guys liked this one. I was a little more book-oriented due to writer's block at the time, so I hope you guys don't mind.**

**I hope you liked how I did Mao. I'v been waiting to put him in that role for a long time! Hope I did good enough.**

**Please feel free to drop a review or comment! As always I will see you guys next time! Merry Christmas! :)**


	12. Ch 11: The Dead, and The Undying

Chapter 11: The Dead, and The Undying

**Warning: A lot of emotion ahead. Prepare for major Feels.**

Lelouch blinked and looked around in confusion. The area he found himself and the spirit in was almost as dark as the mist used to transport them. His reaction turned to one of horror when he noticed what little he could see.

They stood in a room so dark he could barely see anything. What he did see was that they stood next to a bed that was bereft of curtains or blankets, and that laying atop it, under a white sheet, was something that demanded your attention. It was a dead body, and Lelouch had no doubt that it was none-other than the corpse of the despised man.

To only add to his dread, Zero lifted one gloved hand and pointed to where the head lay. Its message was clear: 'Lift the sheet; look upon the man!' Lelouch was trembling all over by this point and he would have taken a step back, if Zero had not held his shoulder in a tight grip. His eyes were wide as his gaze was held captive by the thin white cloth that could be removed by the smallest of breezes.

Oh, cold death! Thy abode is most fearful, your hand heavy, and the aftermath of your enterprise most painful! But of the man that lived life to the fullest, and extended his hand out in generosity, your realm can cast no shadow. While those touched by such a man are left pained, they still bear his memory beyond his allotted years! From that comes immortality for those already dead.

But the man who lived with his hand grasping and clutching for his own gain, finds his end too swift and his life unmourned. All his past accomplishments come to ashes and are blown away by the unrelenting march of time. Time either diminishes him out of memory, or seals his name in infamy and hatred by those who out-live him! The lives of all are weighed by those they leave behind, and the fate of their memory is left in their hands!

"Spirit!" Lelouch cried in fear, "I can not do it! Please remove me from this place! In leaving it I shall not leave the lesson it teaches!" Zero remained unmoved. "Please!" Lelouch implored again, "let me see some tenderness connected with a death." The ghost's helmet seemed to bend forward as if nodding, and then the mist swirled about them once more.

Lelouch found himself standing in front of a house that was familiar to him. It was the house of his sister and her family. A smiled stretched across his face as he remembered the joy and laughter he had felt in this place.

But it quickly vanished. "It's so quiet" he remarked. Indeed it was. No sound could be heard from within the small home. Not the laughter of Kaguya or Euphie. Not the rustle of cooking. Not even the whirr of Nunnally's wheelchair. Lelouch turned to the specter. "Why is it so quiet, spirit?" The figure only pointed to the door-way, though Lelouch could have sworn its head was bowed in a solemn fashion. Lelouch entered the house.

Euphie was sitting by the fire, Rai reading from a bible while the other children sat staring at the fire with dull eyes. Sayoko walked in with a tray of mugs and sat it on the table, but no one seemed to notice. Lelouch noticed that Euphie's eyes were red and that her lips were trembling.

"'And he took a child, and sat him in the midst of them'…." Rai's reading trailed off and Euphie put a hand to her face. The others looked at her in concern. "I'm sorry," she said when she looked up. "My eyes just got a bit tired, that's all." Rai hung his head. "I'll find another passage" he said. Euphie shook her head and gave him a small comforting smile, but it appeared that she needed one just as much as he did. Lelouch was confused. Why did that passage have such an effect on them?

It was then that he noticed that someone was missing from the scene, and his heart sank. "No! Not Nunnally!" But the specter pointed at an object in the corner by the fire. A mechanical wheelchair with a single blue origami crane perched upon the seat. Lelouch lifted a hand to his mouth.

Euphie looked down and said "I wouldn't want to show weak eyes to your father… or cousin," she added with a nod in Kaguya's direction, "for anything in the world." She then glanced towards the door. "He should be back soon." Alice, who had probably been the closest to Nunnally in life, looked up with hollow eyes. "I think he's walked a little slower these past…few evenings." Just then the door opened and the man himself entered the room. He looked just as bad as they all did, but Lelouch could not blame him. The loss of such a gentle creature, who had brought sunlight to all about her, was cause for grief indeed. If he had looked better than the others, Lelouch would have thought less of him.

The children greeted him with silent embraces, which he returned in kind. Euphie then asked the children if they could set the table. The children left for the kitchen, leaving the adults for some much needed solitude.

"How was the churchyard?" Euphie asked quietly.

Suzaku gave a small smile. "Same as always. It'll be really green when spring rolls around." Euphie nodded sadly. Suzaku look at her cautiously, then proceeded to ask a question. "Will...will you be going to his funeral?" Lelouch gasped. Was he referring to the dead man they had just left? Did Euphie know him?

His sister slumped into her chair. "I can't. I attended Nunnally's just a few days ago. I...I don't have the strength to go to another one so soon." Tears began to fall from her eyes. "I hope he can forgive me for it." Suzaku gave her a sad smile. Even in her grief, she was still such a gentle soul.

Suzaku then told her that he had seen Gino on his way back from the churchyard, and that he had asked what had gotten him so down. "When I told him, he looked awful. Almost as if he had actually known Nunnally and felt our loss. He then gave me his number and told me that if he could help in any way not to hesitate to ask. I probably won't ask for anything, but it's still a comforting thought."

Euphie wiped the tears from her eyes as she smiled. "Shirley said the same thing to me."

Suzaku smiled. "I'm not surprised. Even with all that she's going through, she still offers to help out. Honestly, has more of an angel existed on this earth then you two?"

His wife gave him a tearful smile. "One" she answered softly.

Lelouch tuned to his guide. "Oh spirit! Must there be a Christmas that brings this awful scene?" He turned back to see Suzaku and his sister embracing and weeping. "How can we endure it?" he asked.

The family gathered around the table and said their thanks for the meal, but no one moved to take the food before them. Lelouch could hardly contain his own tears. Suzaku finally took a deep breath, and then spoke. "It's alright everyone." Those assembled looked to him, and he continued in an unsteady voice. "Life is made up of meetings and partings. That is the way of it. We can not control it, no matter how unfair it is. What we can do is hold on to the memories of those we lose, and carry on their example."

He took another breath to steady himself. "I know that none of us will ever forget…our dear sweet Nunnally, or this first parting that there was among us." He looked up with a small light in his eyes. "But I know that she would never want us to be sad like this. If she could speak to us now, she would tell us to keep moving and be happy, smiling that beautiful smile of hers as she says it. All she wanted was a gentler world, so we shall follow her example, and be gentle and loving to each other!" Everyone at the table agreed to this wholeheartedly as they all broke down into tears, stood up and hugged each other. It seemed that the passing of Nunnally had only served to strengthen the bonds between them. Even in death, her spirit was felt by those left behind.

Lelouch closed his eyes as his own tears began to fall, and when he opened them he saw the black mist covering him again. When it dispelled he saw that they were standing in a street that was familiar to him. It was but a short walk from his office. Imploring the spirit to let them turn aside, so that he might see himself as he would be in the future, they did so. But Lelouch was surprised. For the man sitting at the desk was not him, and the furniture was not his either. But he hoped that this was proof of the change of life that he had resolved to make. He asked Zero to conduct him to his home, to see himself there, but the black shape pointed away. At last Lelouch relented to the phantom's guidance and they moved on.

The area the spirit led them to was a churchyard at a funeral, but it was unlike any funeral Lelouch had ever seen. Very few people were dressed in black and the atmosphere was one of dark glee. The coffin that was being born to the hole that was dug for it had been made of plain boards instead of anything elaborate, as if no one had bothered with getting anything better. Lelouch's eyes widened in realization.

He was at the funeral of the despised man himself.

As the coffin made its way to its final resting place, where an ecstatic undertaker named Luciano Bradly awaited it, someone pushed themselves toward the front of the crowd. It was a dishevelled man in ragged clothes who probably lived in the ghettos. In his hands was a pistol.

"Stop right there!" he said in a slurred manor that revealed him to be drunk. The coffin-bearers stopped and looked at him in fear. "Put that on the ground for a moment." The bearers hastily obeyed, not wanting to upset the drunk while he had a pistol in his hand. The man pointed his gun at the coffin and started firing 'parting shots' into the lid, laughing like a deranged man as he did so. Lelouch was utterly appalled at this. The onlookers watched the scene in fear, but made no attempt to stop him. In their anger at the monster, they had become monsters themselves.

"STOP!" a voice cried out from the small knot of black-wearing actual mourners that stood off to the side. Someone raced out from the group and stood between the man and the coffin. Lelouch almost fell to the ground in shock. For the person was non-other than Shirley Fenette! He then noticed that those in black consisted of Gino, Kallen, Rivalz and Milly. It appeared that they had known this person as well.

The man snarled at Shirley. "Protecting this demon, are you?"

"The dead deserve to rest in peace!" Shirley shouted. "What you're doing is wrong!"

The man just glared. "Get out of my way!" He attempted to side-step her to get back at the coffin but Shirley grabbed hold of the gun before he could fire again. Those present, from both the mourners and the celebrators, rushed forward to try and restrain the two. Shirley and the man began to wrestle with the gun, each trying to pull it out of the others grasp!

BANG!

Lelouch felt his world shatter when the sound of a gun shot hit his ears. Everything seemed to slow down and grow silent after that. He saw Shirley's eyes widen in shock and pain as she fell backwards towards the snow-covered ground. Several muffled voices from her friends could be heard calling her name in distress. Finally she hit the ground with a thud next to the coffin of the hated man, her left hand landing atop the lid.

The shooter's eyes widened as he realized what he had done, turned and run away. Kallen drew a concealed pouch-knife and looked like she wanted to run him down but Gino grabbed her hand before she could start pursuing him. "We need to take care of Shirley first" he said. Milly and Rivalz were already calling an ambulance for help while Kallen and Gino attempted to stop the bleeding.

All this was barely registered by Lelouch's brain. He knelt down above her, his mind overwhelmed by shock and fear. 'No! No this can't be happening!' He looked towards the spirit in desperation, but there was nothing it could do. It could only observe and show. It could not change the shadows themselves. But its head was bent in reverence, as if it felt sorrow for her as well. Lelouch reached down to help Gino and Kallen stop the bleeding, but his hands passed right through her. His eyes closed again, unable to bear the sight of seeing her like this.

"Lulu." His eyes snapped open at the sound of a familiar voice. It was strained and weak, but he could not mistake it. Shirley had opened her eyes and was staring upwards. For a moment he thought she could see him, but his hopes were dashed when he realized that it was impossible for that to happen. He was nothing more than a ghost in this realm, a shadow amongst the shadows he observed.

But still, her eyes looked up straight into his own, as if she could pierce the veil between them through her death. Slowly, her words came, and each was like a hammer-blow to Lelouch's heart.

"Lulu...if you can hear me...I'm sorry I didn't try hard enough...to save you." Lelouch recoiled in shock. Here she was dying, and her last words were of regret on his behalf?! After all that he had become, he deserved to have her curse his name! But she was not finished. "I should have been there for you, but now it's too late. Please...forgive me."

'There is nothing to forgive, Shirley' Lelouch thought, being too overcome with grief for his voice to work properly.

"Lulu...I love you. Even after you caught my father up in your quest for revenge, I still couldn't hate you. Even seeing what you had turned into...while my mother and I struggled to make it...I still loved you." She took a shuddering breath, and then fell into a painful coughing fit, before she continued. "It looks like we'll have to meet up in the afterlife, huh? But no matter how long it takes, I'll find you. Even if it takes a thousand years, I'll find you again."

Lelouch couldn't take it anymore. "No, Shirley! YOU CAN'T DIE" He cried out at the top of his voice, hoping that his words would reach her. But it was no use. The blood continued to flow out of the wound despite Kallen and Gino's best efforts, turning the snow around her crimson. "No matter how many times I am reborn I'll keep falling in love with you, Lulu." A small but heavenly smile graced her face as she said this. "I suppose...that it's simply fate."

Lelouch was driven to the point of hysteria. "NO DON'T DIE! I ORDER YOU NOT TO DIE!" No matter how hard Lelouch tried, his words had no effect on her. He was participating in part of the curse Clovis bore: to see those in need, people you desperately wanted to help now that you couldn't, and to be completely helpless to do anything.

Shirley's smile only seemed to brighten as her eye lids slowly descended. "Is that okay, Lulu? Would you be willing...to give me a second chance?"

'Why is she even asking this?! I should be the one asking that to her!' Tears began to stream down his face from both eyes. No, stream was to gentle a word. This was a torrent! Tears glistened in the corners of Shirley's eyes as she struggled to keep them open. "No matter what happens...I'll fall in love with you over and over again. I'll keep...falling...in love...with…." Her eyes closed for the final time as her hand fell back onto the foot of the coffin of the man she had defended.

Lelouch gasped. "Shirley? SHIRLEY?!" He grabbed her by the shoulders in an attempt to wake her, but it would have done no good even if he could have touched her. She laid there, cold and pale, surrounded by an aura of blood-stained snow. But the smile that graced her face was one of peace and contentment. Lelouch let out a few strangled sobs, then closed his eyes and threw his head back.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He let out all his grief and guilt in a cry to the heavens.

The spirit beside him reached forward and placed a hand upon the dead girl's forehead, as if giving her soul its sympathies and blessing.

And over to the side, the undertaker Luciano Bradly, who some suspected enjoyed his work too much, chuckled. First that blind and crippled girl, then the despised man, and now a beautiful martyr for love. He rubbed his hands together. Business was going well for him this Christmas. Very well indeed.

**I would like to point out that today, Dec 6th, is the one year anniversary of when I first posted for this story. Hope you guys have enjoyed it as much as I have. Please feel free to leave a review. See you guys next time!**


	13. Ch 12: The Name upon the Stone

Chapter 12: The Name upon the Stone

**Thanks again to my Beta-reader, cerealkiller49, for his help with this chapter. His suggestions made the ending a lot cooler!**

Lelouch did not know how long he sat there with his eyes closed. Nor did he care.

Finally he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. The churchyard was deserted now, and a misty night had set in. Lelouch stood up and looked at Zero.

"Spirit, there is one more thing I must ask. I fear to...but I must. Who is the wretch of a man whose death brought so much joy to others?" The figure pointed to the gravestone of a freshly dug grave. Lelouch recognized the spot. This was the grave of the man who he had been hearing about. The man hated by the world.

Lelouch took a few hesitant steps forward, and then turned to the ghost again. "Answer me one more question. Are these the shadows of things that will be, or are they the shadows of things that may be, only?" The spirit continued pointing.

"C.C. taught me that men's courses foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead" Lelouch stated. "But, if the course is departed from, the ends will change. Please say that this is so."

The phantom remained immovable as ever.

Lelouch took a few more hesitant steps forward, and then spoke. "These events can be changed!"

Two more steps forward.

"A life can be made right!" But he sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than he was the spirit behind him.

Lelouch trembled as he came up to the stone, knelt before it, and brushed the snow from its face with a shaking hand. The words that glared back at him from the cold surface could not be mistaken!

'Lelouch Lamperouge.'

Lelouch felt fresh tears spring to his eyes. Is this truly what awaited him? Was he destined to become the man who lay on that plundered bed, uncared for? To be hated by almost everyone and everything? A sob escaped him when another realization hit him like knightmare at full throttle. Shirley had died for him. The thought tore his heart from his chest.

"Oh please spirit! No!" he sobbed out. "Hear me! I am not the man I was!" He felt the weight of his own guilt growing when he was startled by a clinking sound. He looked down and gasped in horror! For a chain was materializing around him, link by link, and it was steadily growing in length and in weight! Lelouch knew what it was: the cursed chain of his sins that Clovis had warned him about! It was materializing before his very eyes!

He stood up and faced his guide, thought it was getting harder to stand by the minute. "Why would you show me this if I was past all hope?! I will honor Christmas, and try to keep it all the year! I will live my life with the lessons of the Past, the Present, and the Future! I will not shut out the lessons the spirits have taught me! Please...tell me that I may yet sponge out the writing on this stone by an altered life!" The chain that was growing about him now felt as if it weighed a ton, but Lelouch knew that it was far, very far, from finished.

Lelouch hung his head in agony and grief, but lifted it again when he heard a strange sound. He saw that the spirit's attire had undergone a small but alarming change!

A sword-belt had appeared wrapped around its waist, with an elaborate scabbard hanging from it. The spirit had just drawn from it a long and beautiful sword. Its cross-guard was fashioned like a pair of bird wings, two-thirds of its blade was deep purple set with a row of green gems, and the tip was pure gold.

Before Lelouch could react the ghost had drawn the blade back in both hands and plunged it into his heart! Lelouch then realized that he was falling backwards, and the world seemed to be getting smaller. Indeed, the spirit of the future seemed a thousand miles away, but still as visible and clear as if he was right in front of him.

Lelouch saw that Zero had sheathed his sword and was staring at him intently, piercing him with his unseen gaze as if passing judgment upon him.

Then, he was falling and the world became a swirl of howling darkness as if he was falling down a bottomless pit. The next thing Lelouch realized was a sharp pain in his tailbone as he fell out of his bed!

**Well, that's that. We've finally finished all the 'Time Segments'. Now all that's left is the return to the present. 'Back to the Present', staring Lloid as Dr. Brown and Suzaku as Marty McFly, with a Time-Traveling Lancelot. Just kidding!**

**Please review and let me know what you think! Merry Christmas everyone!**


	14. Ch 13: A Second Chance at Life

Chapter 13: A Second Chance at Life

**Well, here's the next chapter. I like how it turned out. Hope you guys enjoy it.**

Lelouch blinked several times before realization hit him. The bed was his own! The room was his own! Best and happiest of all, his life ahead of him was his own, to make right!

A small laugh escaped him, followed by another one, which escalated into a full-blown laugh, the first true one he had used in many a long year. "I will live my life in the Past, the Present, and the Future! The spirits of all three stall strive within me! Do you hear me, Clovis? I swear it on my knees!"

He then scrambled to his feet and took one of his bed-curtains in his hands, treating it as reverently as he would a strip of expensive silk. "They're not torn down! They're here! I'm here! I can change the future by altering the present!" He was then stuck by a thought. "I don't know what day it is. I don't know how long I've been traveling with the spirits. I don't know anything!" He shrugged. That was a problem easily fixed. But he was so bursting with energy that, instead of using a phone or computer to find the date, he threw open his window and looked down into the streets. Seeing a young boy passing, he called out to him.

"Excuse me! What's today?" The boy looked up with a confused expression on his face. "What?" he asked. "What's today, my find fellow?" Lelouch repeated. The boy still looked confused as he answered. "Today? It's Christmas Day, sir!" Lelouch felt his face brake out into a splitting grin. 'It's Christmas Day! I haven't missed it! Wow, we did all of that in just one night? Oh well, this is the supernatural we're talking about! I shouldn't be surprised!'

He broke out of his thoughts and turned back to the boy below him. "What's your name?"

"Rolo, sir."

"Do you know the deli two blocks down?"

"Uh, yes sir I do" was the reply.

"Do you know if the prize turkey has been sold yet? Not the little one, the big one in the window."

The boy, Rolo, gave a small laugh. "You mean the one twice as big as me? Last I checked it was still there."

A gleam appeared in Lelouch's purple eyes as a mischievous smile graced his features. "Go and buy it."

"WHAT?!" With such an outrageous request, a response of appropriate volume was only natural.

The money-lender just shook his head. "I'm being quite serious. Don't worry, I'll provide the money. Buy it for me and I'll pay you. Come back with him in ten minutes or less, and I'll pay you handsomely!" The boy was off like a shot! You would need a steady hand to get a shot of half so fast.

Lelouch then closed the window and began getting dressed. It was a lengthy process because he was so exhilarated that he kept putting his clothes on the wrong way. Backwards, inside out, upside down, and every other mishap conceivable befell his poor garments. But he just laughed at this. At last he managed to control himself enough to put on his best shirt (chuckling as he thought to himself that Mao wouldn't be getting his hands on it this time!) and found that the clothes that C.C. had 'borrowed' were now hung back in the closet. He was glad to find them back and changed into them just as a knock was heard at the door. The turkey had arrived!

Now the delivery man, a tan muscular fellow named Darlton (I realized I hadn't used him yet, so I had to come up with something for him!), was by no means weak. But carrying such a large bird for two blocks was enough to make even him work up a sweat. That must have been the largest turkey to ever live! Lelouch laughed and said that he would get a taxi to deliver it to the desired address, which relieved the man very much. Lelouch knew just who to send it to: the house of his clerk/brother-in-law! Anonymously of course.

He chucked as he paid the boy, the delivery man, and the taxi driver. After all that he plopped down in his arm chair and chuckled to his heart's content.

"Well, it looks like you're enjoying yourself." Lelouch turned his head at the sound of the familiar voice. There stood the lime-locked witch C.C., leaning against the wall with her Cheese-kun plushy and a slice of pizza in her hand. "If you're planning on going out then you need to eat something." She pushed a pizza box across the table towards him.

He looked at the contents. "What kind of pizza is this?" he asked curiously.

"Holiday-themed pizza" C.C. responded like it was a completely normal thing.

Lelouch raised his eye-brow at that. "How are these toppings holiday related?"

C.C. just smiled at she began to talk about her favorite subject. "The pizza is topped with turkey-peperoni, mozzarella cheese, and green and red peppers. Turkey is a traditional holiday dish, and white red and green are considered holiday colors. Put them all together and presto, holiday-themed pizza."

Lelouch smiled as he took a bite of said food. "You invented this yourself, I'll wager."

C.C. simply smirked. "So...how did things go with the Ghost of Christmas Future?

Lelouch stiffened. "It was...troubling to say the least."

The green-haired woman nodded. "Zero always did have a dramatic flair" she remarked.

"He stabbed me with a sword!" Lelouch protested.

The witch giggled at his reaction. "Oh don't be a baby about it. You didn't even feel any pain. That was just him making a joke and a point at the same time." Lelouch grumbled at that as he took another bite of his (quite delicious) pizza.

"By the way," C.C. said, "I came here to give you a message from Clovis." Lelouch nearly choked on his food, then recovered and looked at her intently. "He said to tell you that his chains have been feeling a bit lighter ever since he talked to you. If you continue on your present course, it may make his wanderings a lot easier." Lelouch thanked her for the message and the food. She vanished with a smile and he headed to the door.

He then went out, dressed in his finest, and sallied forth into the streets (whoever sally was, I don't know). The people were bustling about at this point, just as he had seen them do when C.C. had guided him through the shadows of the Present. He took a deep breath of the clear air and sighed in contentment. He set off, not to any particular destination, but on his first pleasant walk in a long, long time. He looked at the people about him, grinned broadly, and gave many a 'Merry Christmas'-es to those he passed. 'I have a lot of those to catch up on' he thought to himself. The people either didn't recognize him as the 'demon money-lender' and responded cheerfully, or they did recognize him and answered with shocked expressions. Lelouch didn't care either way.

He walked about the city till his steps led him to the ghettos. A ragged man rubbed his eyes at the sight he saw. A man, who looked a lot like the infamous Lelouch Lamperouge, was walking around the ghettos with a sad expression on his face. The stranger patted his pockets for his wallet, but finding that he had forgotten it, slumped his shoulders in disappointment. As the stranger passed, the beggar could have sworn he had said something under his breath: "This world needs to change, so I will change it." Yup, this man couldn't possibly be the same man as the demon money-lender. And in a way, the beggar was right.

As Lelouch walked back into the city, and looked about him in wonder at the bounties he had missed, he accidentally bumped into someone. "I'm terribly sorry sir" he said before he realized that it was in fact a woman that he had run into. He recognized her from the other day, which felt like a lifetime ago. It was Cecile Croomy, who was followed closely by her partner Lloyd Asplund and a familiar petite girl with glasses and dark green (Yes, I said it) hair. It was Nina Einstein in the flesh.

"Oh my. Mr. Lamperouge!" Cecile said in shock. Lelouch raised his hand to stop her from continuing.

"Madam, allow me to apologize for my horrid behavior yesterday. I have repented of my former ways and I ask if you can forgive me for my inhuman attitude." All three were taken aback at this, till Cecile, seeing that he was sincere, said "Of course Mr. Lamperouge." Lelouch let out a sigh of relief.

He then turned to the girl who he had once called a former class-mate. "L-Lelouch?

Said man smiled. It seemed Nina was still Nina. "Yes that is my name, though it may not be a pleasant one to you. Hello Nina. What are you doing these days?"

Lloyd answered for her. "She's been one of our top researchers for years now. I didn't know that you two were acquainted."

"We went to school together" Nina replied.

Lelouch then redirected his attention to Cecile. "So how did the fund raising go yesterday?"

Cecile's smile faded. "Unfortunately, it did not go as well as we had hoped."

Lelouch frowned, and then was struck with an idea. "Then would you accept another donation?"

The three looked surprised for a moment before the blue haired woman smiled as she got out her notebook and pen. "We most certainly would! How much can I put you down for?"

Lelouch simply smirked and whispered something in her ear. Her eyes went to the size of dinner-plates and she almost dropped her notebook!

"My Goodness! Mr. Lamperouge are you serious?!"

Lelouch smiled. "Please, call me Lelouch. And yes, I am one hundred percent serious."

Cecile was still trying to recover from her shock. "I don't know what to say to-."

Lelouch raised his hand to cut her off. "Don't say anything, please. If you could come to my office tomorrow we will set up the proper arrangements." Cecile eagerly said that they would.

Lloyd looked over her shoulder at the amount she had written down, gasped and turned to Lelouch. "Would you happen to be interested in funding Knightmare research?" he asked with lights sparkling in his eyes. The two women sighed at his antics, but Lelouch just laughed. "Well, a good investor always spreads out his investments. So yes, I would like to set up an investment account with you." Lloyd looked like Christmas had come (Oh wait, it had!) and cheered like a child with a new toy. Cecile shook her head at his hopelessness, and then turned back to the money-lender. "Thank you so much Mr.- sorry, Lelouch" she corrected herself. Lelouch shook all their hands warmly and gave them a hearty 'Merry Christmas' as they parted ways.

Eventually, his steps unconsciously led him to the gateway of his nephew's house.

**Before you ask, yes. I invented the idea for 'Holiday-Themed Pizza'. I may try making it my self one day.**

**I'm not too sure when I'll be posting next, but we're almost done guys! Thanks for sticking with me through all this! You guys are awesome!**

**As all ways, see you guys next time and Merry Christmas! :D**


	15. Ch14: Mending Bonds And Forging New Ones

**AT LAST! Sorry that this took so long guys, but I had little material to go on and Writer's Block is one of my worst enemies. I wanted to do something a bit more detailed then what Dickens gave us (no offence to Mr Dickens of course), and that took a lot of creative thought. If it hadn't been for my beta-reader cerealkiller49 and his advice, this chapter probably would never have been finished!**

**Thanks again man!**

**And so, without further ado, let us begin...**

Chapter 14: Mending Bonds, And Forging New Ones

Lelouch walked past the house four times before he could gather the courage to walk up to the door. And even then, it took him a full minuet to get up the nerve to ring the doorbell. A maid answered and led him to the living room. Lelouch found that all the guests were already there.

A collective gasp filled the room as he entered. Lelouch took a deep breath, and then addressed his cousin.

"Pardon me for interrupting, Gino. But I was wondering if your offer to dinner still stands." (A.N. According to cerealkiller49, my beta-reader, 'dinner' is the British name for the meal Americans call 'lunch'. So this is happening around noon-ish. You can guess what the American equivalent to 'Supper' is.)

Gino, after shaking himself out of his 'dear-in-the-headlights' state, rushed to his formerly-Grinch-like relative and proceeded to shake his arm off! "Lelouch! I can hardly believe it!"

It was at that moment that Rivalz and Milly entered. They were just as surprised at their host, to say the least. "L-Lelouch? Is that really you?" Said money-lender, after tearing himself from Gino's violent greeting, turned to grin at his old partner-in-crime. "Yes it is Rivalz. And Madam President, it's good to see you as well."

He then decided to tease his former class mate. "So Rivalz, if I remember correctly you still owe me the money for those bike repairs a few years ago." The blue-haired young man began to sweat, till Lelouch let out a hearty laugh. "I'm just kidding, Rivalz. Consider your debt null."

This statement caused a great deal of surprise to those who knew the miserly reputation of the man who spoke it.

The next man to greet Lelouch was of course the teal-headed guest. "A pleasure to see you back to your old self, master Lelouch."

"Jeremiah Gottwald! No need for formalities. How have you been all these years?"

The old guard smiled. "They have treated me very well. I'm actually a clergyman as well as the owner of my own orange plantation."

Lelouch smiled. "I'm glad to hear it..." his smile morphed into a smirk, "orange boy." The former guard blushed a bit at the old nickname.

The next one who Lelouch encountered was another old class-mate of his, but one who seemed the complete opposite of how he had known her.

Kallen looked at Lelouch with a suspicious expression. Lelouch swallowed nervously, not quite sure what to expect from his old friend in her new self. She continued to study him for a few more seconds, and then Lelouch spoke.

"Kallen. I want to say that I am sorry for how I turned my back on all of you those four years ago. You may not believe me, but I have had a change of heart recently. I will do whatever it takes to re-earn your trust."

Milly got a predatory gleam in her eyes. "Anything, Lelouch?"

The money-lender paled. "Within reason, of course" he amended. Milly pouted.

Kallen studied him for a few more seconds, and then slapped him in the face. Hard. Lelouch carefully reached a hand to his cheek. "I may have deserved that." Kallen snorted. "You think?"

She then proceeded to engulf her old friend in a hug. He stiffened, and then returned it. "It's good to have you back Lelouch" she whispered. "But if you turn on us again, I will hunt you down." Lelouch stiffened. "I wouldn't dream of it" he replied.

After meeting the other guests, who were skeptical of him at first but warmed up to him after a bit, they had dinner (A.N. or lunch). Lelouch noticed that Milly looked disappointed at his apparent lack of shock when Kallen told him about what she had really been doing during her time at school. He smirked to himself. It looked like she had missed out on a chance to get some blackmail on him.

Lelouch spent most of the time catching up with his old student council friends as well as getting to know the other guests. He found such warmth in the long-forgotten comfort of human companionship that he vowed to himself to never abandon it or take it for granted.

Whenever he was asked how he had been recently, he just gave them a mysterious yet amused smile.

As they were about to start the games, Lelouch announced that he, regretfully, had to withdraw. Gino and his other friends protested this, but Lelouch just smiled.

"I wish I could stay, but I have someone else I want to surprise. One who happens to be an old friend of yours, Gino." Gino realized who it was and smirked. "He'll be in for quite a shock."

Lelouch gave them all a very hearty 'Merry Christmas' as well as a promise to stay for the whole party next time, then left.

Milly turned to Kallen. "Should we call Shirley and tell her about this?" Kallen shook her head as she watched the figure of the money-lender disappear among the crowd. "It would be best if we let him do that in his own time."

Milly nodded, and then huffed. "Too bad he seemed to know about your past before he came. I wanted to see his reaction!" The red-head giggled a bit at that. "So did I. But I suppose we'll never know what it will be like."

* * *

As Lelouch walked briskly down the road towards Suzaku's house (he had made note of the address when C.C. had first taken him there, so he knew where it was) he found himself feeling nervous again. It would take a lot of will power to stay stoic when he met his sister again after all these years.

But Lelouch was nothing if not determined.

As he walked up to the door of the little house his clerk and sister called home, he forced himself to distort his features into a cold scowl. To his dismay, they easily returned due to muscle-memory. This caused him to scowl even deeper.

_'I need to work on breaking some long-held bad habits'_ he thought to himself. He cleared his throat, squared his shoulders, and knocked quite loudly and commandingly upon the door.

"Suzaku Kururugi!" he called out in a cold tone. The door slowly opened to reveal the man in question standing in the door-way.

"So here you are" Lelouch commented dryly. "Mr. Lamperouge" the employee responded through clenched teeth. Can you blame him? He rarely gets to spend time with his family and on one of his very few days off his jerk boss shows up at his door with a scowl on his face!

"You sir, were not at work this morning as we had discussed" Lelouch said with fake contempt.

Suzaku tried, with growing difficulty, to keep his voice level. "Actually sir, we did discuss it. You agreed to give me the day off."

"Well I changed my mind" Lelouch retorted.

It was at that moment that a certain pink-haired woman made her presence known. "Suzaku. Is someone at the door?" Suzaku's eyes widened in panic as Euphie appeared behind him and gasped. Lelouch raised an eye-brow.

"Well well. This is a surprise. To think that I would run into my long-lost sister so unexpectedly. My dear clerk, I will not stand for this kind of thing any longer. AND THEREFORE-", he raised his voice and his hand for dramatic effect, "-I'M ABOUT TO RAISE YOUR SALARY!"

Suzaku had cocked his hand back to punch his boss if he tried to take Euphie away from him, and Euphie let out a cry of "Lelouch please, no!" However, when the meaning of those words sunk in, they stood there staring at him with shocked expressions and their mouths hanging open.

Lelouch grinned at them while suppressing a burst of laughter at their expense. _'Consider this payback for making me faint when I found out about you two'_ Lelouch thought to himself.

Lelouch couldn't take it anymore and laughed. "A Merry Christmas Suzaku! A merrier Christmas than I have given you in many a year! I wish to beg your pardon for my past behavior and will attempt to make amends for my past sins. I will raise your salary, and help you and your struggling family."

He then tuned to his sister, and a look of pain and guilt came over his face. "Euphie. I cannot say how ashamed and sorry I am for my behavior in the past. If you will let me...I would like to try and re-earn a place as your brother." Tears came to Euphie's eyes as she launched herself forward to hug him, something she had longed to do for far, far too long. Lelouch returned it firmly, but tenderly.

A happy, contented smile came over his face and he held his sister for the first time in eleven years. He swore to himself that he would never, never, lose or hurt her again.

Suzaku then realized something. "Wait a minute. So that prized turkey...the anonymous sender...was...you?" Lelouch smiled as he and his sister broke their hug. "I have no idea what you're talking about" he said, though they could tell he didn't mean a word of it.

Suzaku looked suspiciously at his employer. "After what you said yesterday, do you honestly expect me to just believe you?"

Lelouch winced at the reminder of his former self, and then spoke slowly. "I did a bit of...soul searching last night. And I can tell you...I have not liked what I've seen. The more I thought about it, the more I realized my sins."

He looked Suzaku in the eye. "Nothing I can say will make any difference...for it is not by our words that we are judged. It is our actions. All I am asking for...is a chance."

Suzaku could see in Lelouch's eyes that he was, indeed, genuinely sorry for his actions. And that he really wanted to make amends. Slowly, a smile came to the Japanese man's face as he nodded. This caused Lelouch, and Euphie, to sigh in relief and give him a grateful smile of their own.

They showed him inside where the couple called everyone to meet their estranged uncle/sibling-of-my-mistress/cousin-in-law.

Sayoko greeted him with a formal bow, while standing protectively in front of Nunnally. He returned the gesture.

Alice and Rai weren't sure how to react to the situation. They had heard mixed reports about this man from their parents, and, let's face it, he did not have a good track record. Lelouch knew that, like Suzaku, it would take time and patience before they warmed up to him. Fortunately, thanks to his visitations, he had both on his side.

Kaguya was glaring daggers at Lelouch. She was not willing to accept him so easily, that much was clear. "And why should we simply take you at your word, Mr. Lamperouge?" Euphie was about to say something, but Lelouch held up his hand to stop her. "All I ask for is a chance. Nothing more, nothing less. I know that a good first impression is no longer an option for me, so this is all I can ask."

Kaguya studied him for a moment, but then another voice spoke up.

"I think he's sincere." All eyes turned to the speaker: the blind girl in the wheelchair. "I can't read his body-language, but I can hear his voice. He's either a very good liar, or he's telling the truth." Kaguya was pretty sure that it was the former, but held her tongue. She would give him the benefit of the doubt for Nunnally's sake.

Lelouch knelt in front of the blind girl. He recalled quite clearly how much her gentle nature had affected him in his 'Journey to the Present', and how devastated he and her family had been in the vision of her death's aftermath one year hence. He silently swore to himself that she would live to see (yes, actually see) the next Christmas.

His tone and movements were gentle as he officially met the girl for the first time, placing a hand on top of hers. "Hello. My name is Lelouch Lamperouge. What's your name?" Of course, he already knew the answer, but kept up the facade of ignorance.

The girl smiled. That same soft, gentle smile that had graced her features the first time he had seen her. "Hello Lelouch. My name is Nunnally. Pleased to meet you."

Lelouch felt a smile grace his own face. Nunnally had that effect on people. "The pleasure is all mines Nunnally. I really hope that we can be friends." She smiled at that. (Not a great meeting, I know. Blame it on writer's-block. I'm sorry!)

Just then, Lelouch felt something touching his leg. He looked down and saw a familiar gray cat leaning against him and sniffing him curiously. "And who might this be?" he asked.

"Oh that's Arthur" Alice said. Lelouch held out his hand tentatively, remembering that the cat had a tendency to bite. At least, when Suzaku was around.

Arthur smelled the offered hand, and then proceeded to rub against it. Suzaku groaned. "Lucky jerk. How come I'm the only one who gets bitten?" he muttered to himself. A burst of laughter was heard throughout the room as Euphie put a comforting hand on her husband's shoulder. "I think he just gives you special attention because he loves you so much."

Suzaku frowned. "Great. Our cat is a sadist." More laughter occurred.

It was at that moment that a knock was heard at the door, which led to Sayoko opening it. The person that entered caused Lelouch to freeze in shock.

"Hello everyone! Merry Chris-!" Shirley's greeting was cut off when her eyes fell upon the unexpected visitor. Lelouch opened his mouth to say something, but the words just stuck in his throat.

He could tell that Shirley's state was similar to his own. A roller-coaster of emotions and memories that left the participants on mental overload, trying to find a proper response.

Shirley was overwhelmed by the sight in front of her. He was here! At last, after these four long years, he was there in the same room with her!

But she didn't know what to do! This situation, while being what she had hoped and prayed for, she hadn't actually prepared herself for. She didn't know how she ought to react.

Worst of all, a small piece of her was afraid. Afraid that he was still the same as when she had last seen him on the day of her father's funeral. Afraid of being hurt again.

It was too much for her to handle. She needed time to think.

"Um...sorry! M-maybe this isn't a good time." She turned around to leave when something grabbed her by the wrist.

"Wait!" a choked voice said desperately. Shirley's eyes widened in surprise. He actually sounded...guilty. Had he really changed, or was it just her wishful thinking? The answer was about to come.

When she turned to leave, Lelouch's body and mind sprung back into action. He couldn't let her leave! Not without letting her know how sorry he was! He grabbed her by her wrist, and then took a shuddering breath.

She was alive! Standing before him alive and well again! Just as beautiful as she was the last time he had seen her, four years ago.

A large lump formed in his throat. All his encounters with her throughout his travels with the spirits came rolling back over his mind like a wave.

Her pain and grief when he had pushed her away all those years ago, and her turmoil yet tenderness as she sang that song of forgiveness on his behalf.

Her smile and laughter in the present. Though she struggled with her own problems, she managed to find the good in life and still hoped and prayed for him after all he had done to her.

Her courage and love when she had stood between his undeserving corpse and those who would desecrate it. Her beauty and peace when she once again professed her love to him from the gates of death. She had died for him...and he had never done anything to deserve such love from anyone.

The angel who loved a demon. They were so different from each-other. Could...could they ever truly be together?

A guilty voice inside Lelouch's head spoke to him. _'You don't deserve her, you know that right? What have you ever done that gives you the right to love her? How can you ever deserve her?'_

He took another shaky breath, and then spoke. "I...I know that I have no right to ask this but...is the door still opened for me?"

He saw the girl before him stiffen at the memory of their last encounter. Then she slowly turned around.

Tears were pouring down her cheeks, but the smile on her face and in her eyes told him that she was crying tears of joy. And he could not mistake the look of love she had in her beautiful, fully alive eyes.

"Oh, Lulu!" She said as she brought a hand to his cheek tenderly. "It was never closed to begin with."

The former 'demon money-lender' tried in vain to stifle a sob, but it was no use. He fell to his knees in front of the girl he loved and began to weep loudly. A sad smile crossed Shirley's face as she knelt down and hugged him tightly, letting him cry into her shoulder as she unleashed her own tears.

Lelouch hugged her as if he was afraid that she would vanish from his sight, whispering 'I'm sorry' over and over. He felt Shirley rub comforting circles on his back and she whispered back 'All that's done is forgiven, Lulu'.

Those in the house who were observing the sight before them had tears in their own eyes now. There was now no doubt in anyone's mind that Lelouch was now truly and deeply sorry. That he had indeed changed.

Nunnally tilted her head to the side. "What's going on?" the blind and crippled girl asked. Euphie smiled through the tears that were running down her face. "Lelouch and Shirley...have reunited at last."

**I hope it was worth the wait. Please feel free to leave a review and let me know what you guys thought. This was a tough chapter to write so I'd like to know how I did.**

**We aren't quite done yet! I still have an Epilogue planed so stick around. Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me this whole time! You guys are awesome! :)**

**HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE! 2016, one year and a few months till the Black Rebellion starts! See you then (Smirks ominously).**


	16. Ch 15: Epilogue-One Year Later

**At last, after so long, the last chapter is before us. I can't believe this is coming to a close! :( But...It has been a great ride and I want to thank all you guys for all you've done for me! :) Full acknowledgments will be held at the end of the chapter. In the mean time, please read on...**

Chapter 15: Epilogue- One Year Later

Three hundred sixty-five days had passed since that fateful Christmas.

Lelouch stood on a balcony at Gino's house, enjoying the cool evening air while listening to the chatter of the guests inside. This year, Gino had invited Suzaku and his family to join them, an invitation that had been gratefully accepted.

As he looked out into the waxing night, the former demon money-lender reflected on the events of the past year.

He himself had undergone a phenomenal change. He was much more sociable, and was now considered by many to be pleasant company. He had reconnected with his old class-mates and cousin, sharing many a fond memory or pleasant conversation when they visited one another.

With the help of Suzaku, he had been a driving force in the relief efforts to the ghettos, which were slowly but surely being transformed into habitable, productive sectors of society.

Suzaku's family, with their increase in income, had been able to live much more comfortably. But that had not changed their love towards one another in the slightest. If anything, they were more generous to those in need than ever before. They were often seen helping out in the ghettos, and Euphie made a donation to the local orphanage every month.

Lelouch had actually developed a close friendship with Suzaku. So much so that it seemed to those who didn't know them that they were brothers. In such a relatively short amount of time, the bond they shared had helped them through some tough challenges.

His sister Euphie visited him often, but he didn't mind. They had a lot to catch up on after all. She was as she had always been: a soft and gentle light that warmed his world. He had also gotten closer to her children, who now saw him as a doting uncle and friend.

As for Nunnally, thanks to Lelouch's intervention, she had been able to get the medical attention she so desperately needed. It had taken a few visits, but they had finally gotten the disease that troubled her for so long cured!

And then, when she had woken up from surgery, she had shocked everyone in the room by opening her eyes! And they were beautiful. A shade of violet that matched those of Lelouch perfectly.

And now she was going through physical therapy in order to try and get her legs to work again. It would take some time, but Lelouch knew that she would get there in time.

And then there was Shirley.

They had been taking things slowly for now, becoming reacquainted as friends before they moved on to anything more serious. They had revisited Ashford Academy for old time's sake and just sat on the front steps talking.

Recently they had even gone to an Orchestra performance.

Lelouch lived out his life with his oath to the spirits in his mind: To honor Christmas and to keep it all the year. And Lelouch was better than his word. He did it all and infinitely more!

And to Nunnally, who did not die (as previously stated), he was a second big brother. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man as the good old city ever knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world.

Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he just let them laugh. He knew that nothing on earth happened, at least for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter at the outset.

He himself laughed, and that was good enough for him.

And it was always said of him that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that truly be said of us, and all of us!

And so, and Nunnally observed: God Bless Us, Every One!

(…..BUT WAIT! WE AREN'T DONE YET!)

The door to the balcony opened behind him and Lelouch glanced over his shoulder to see Shirley stepping out to join him. They didn't say anything to one another, they just enjoyed each-others presence.

She stood beside him and laced her fingers through his own. Lelouch smiled to himself, knowing that one day, Lord willing, one of her fingers would be occupied...with a ring.

She turned to him. "What're you thinking about?" He just smiled as his gaze stayed on the sunset before them. "I was just reflecting on the events of the past year." She nodded in understanding, and then laid her head against his shoulder with a contented sigh.

Lelouch thought about how he had forgotten what true happiness had been while he had been 'The Demon Money-Lender'. It had been in his grasp and he had thrown it away in a quest for revenge. 'We often don't notice what we have until it is taken from us' he thought to himself.

(Que Code Geass OST. 'With You'.)

He recalled a conversation he had had with Suzaku and Nunnally a few months ago. On what happiness would look like if it were given a physical form.

_'If I'm not mistaken...I think it was Suzaku who said that the shape of Happiness might resemble glass.'_ thought Lelouch.

_'His reasoning made sense._

_He said that even though you don't usually notice it, it's still definitely there. You merely have to change your point of view slightly._

_And then that glass will sparkle when it reflects the light._

_I doubt that anything else could argue its own existence so eloquently.'_

Lelouch smiled as he softly squeezed Shirley's hand. He had found happiness again. And this time, he would not take it for granted.

A bit of movement at the edge of the lawn caught his eye and he gasped slightly at what he saw. Three figures had appeared in lawn, and he knew them all very well.

The ghost of Clovis was standing much straighter then a man so bedecked in chains should be, spectral or otherwise. He turned and looked right at Lelouch. A grin broke across his face and the dead man's spirit waved at his old partner.

Lelouch could have sworn he heard the words 'Thank you' coming to him over the wind.

Lelouch smiled softly. _'Not free of punishment, but much more bearable.'_

The second figure was a familiar lime-haired woman in a straitjacket, holding a Cheese-kun plushy under one arm. Lelouch was sure that he could see her holding a pizza slice in her free hand.

She too looked toward him, and Lelouch saw a small approving smile on her face.

C.C. then noticed that he was holding hands with Shirley, and her smile turned into a teasing smirk. Lelouch blushed a bit at this.

The third figure was a familiar apparition that still haunted Lelouch's nightmares on occasion. A tall, thin specter dressed in a purple suite, a long black cape, and an intimidating black and purple mask. Even from here, he could feel the aura of power that the phantom generated.

For a few tense seconds the figure stood motionless. Then...it inclined its head in a nod. A nod of approval. Lelouch breathed a sigh of relief that he hadn't known he'd been holding.

The figures nodded to him one more time, and then they faded.

Shirley looked at Lelouch in confusion. "What is it Lelouch?" Lelouch knew she couldn't see the specters, so he simply replied "Nothing. I just thought I saw someone I knew passing the house."

They then turned and went back into the house and saw everyone was enjoying each other's company immensely. The Christmas spirit was so thick in the atmosphere of the house that you could almost touch it.

Euphie was chatting with a guest that Lelouch had invited: his partner Clovis' half-sister Cornelia. Lelouch had gotten to know her and her husband Guilford quite well over the past year and had invited both to join them this year.

Euphie and Cornelia had hit it off right away, and Lelouch figured that this was the beginning of a wonderful, maybe even sisterly, relationship.

The Kururugi kids were playing a game with Anya, Nonette and Monica (Suzaku and Gino's old class-mates). They had to go around the circle and ask a question, and then everybody had to present their own answer.

The current question was 'what would you do if you could hypnotize anyone who looked you in the eye, but it only worked once per person?' (Wink wink!)

The answers ranged from 'Getting the Oscars to make better choices' to 'Making them bring back lime-flavored skittles'! That last answer, presented by Rai, brought much laughter to the circle of new friends.

Suzaku was talking with Gino, Kallen, Rivalz and Milly. And Jeremiah was smiling as he watched the proceedings around him. He had been quite happy to be reunited with the siblings he took care of in the past.

The sound of clinking silverware tapping on glassware brought everyone's attention to Lelouch. The young man raised his glass as he looked around him at all the people he was so glad to now call friends.

"I propose a toast" he announced. "To the Spirit of Christmas. May it guide us throughout this next year and continue to brighten our path." He raised his glass. "Merry Christmas! And God bless us!"

The toast was repeated as everyone took a sip of their drinks.

Just then Rivalz spoke up. "You know Lelouch, you really have changed over the past year."

Kallen raised an eye-brow at that. "Yeah. You turned from your old, miserly self into a compassionate, charitable friend."

Suzaku also joined in. "Yeah what happened to you last year? Not that I'm complaining, I just can't wrap my head around it."

Lelouch laughed. "None of you would believe me even if I told you." But every one insisted that he tell them, so he finally sat down on one of the couches and directed them to get comfortable.

"Now...what I'm about to tell you will probably make you question my sanity." He paused. "And some parts will be...difficult for me to recount or for you to hear."

He glanced slightly at Cornelia, Euphie, and Shirley.

His visit to the future, to this very day, would be hard for the Kurirugi's to hear. And telling Cornelia the fate of her half-brother's soul would hard for any loving family member to bear. And Shirley...he would be recalling old wounds that he had inflicted on her. As well as her death.

"I was a different man back then" he whispered.

He felt Shirley squeeze his hand reassuringly. He looked up to see her smiling. "Take your time" she said. He smiled gratefully at her. "Thank you."

He turned to his audience, who were all leaning forward intently. He smiled, cleared his throat, and then began his narrative of redemption.

"Clovis was dead, to begin with."

**Well guys...I guess this is it. I have to say that this has been coming for so long that now that it's over, I'm really going to miss this story.**

**Please, write down a review and let me know if I did well on this chapter. You guys have been waiting for so long, and I'v been working so hard on this story, that I want it to be the best that it can be.**

**As always, Merry Christmas (even though it's the end of January now, may the Christmas spirit continue to warm and guide us the whole year round) and a Happy New Year!**

* * *

**Acknowledgments**

**-First and foremost, I want to acknowledge the great and esteemed author of the Christmas Carol novel: Charles Dickens. ****It was thanks to writing this story that I picked up the original work.**

**All I have to say to you guys is: READ THE BOOK! IT'S GREAT! There's a lot that I left out in this adaptation that is just so good! ****If I tried to include all the good stuff, I'd practically be copy-pasting the whole thing!**

**-Secondly, I want to express my deepest thanks and respect to my loyal reader and beta-reader: cerealkiller49! He's been kind, helpful, and an immeasurable help in getting this as good as it has gotten!**

**Without his help, the spelling would be atrocious, the ideas not as developed, and I doubt I ever would have gotten this done this early! You sir, are without a doubt, the best! I can't thank you enough for all your help!**

**God Bless, my friend. It has been a true honor! :)**

**-Lastly, to my reviewers. You guys have no idea how awesome you guys have been! I have been touched and floored by all the positive comments that I have received. ****You guys have brought a smile to my face and joy to my heart more times then I can count.**

**Your encouragement has given me the strength to keep going. This was written for the readers after-all, and if you guys like it then it has fulfilled it's purpose.**

**NEVER doubt the power of your words! Positiveity is a rare thing in today's world, and it is desperately needed. Keep it up and, like Lelouch, you'll help to keep the Christmas Spirit alive year round!**

**YOU GUYS ROCK AND I'LL MISS YOU ALL! :D**

**And so, as Nunnally observed: God Bless Us Every One! :)**


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